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LEAD AND ZINC IN IRAN 


Wilford S. Wright 
Mining Engineer 

U*S. Agency for International Development 
In 

Iran 


September 1965 













// 


120 

no 

too 

90 

80 

TO 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 


IRAN'S LEAD-ZINC ORE EXPORTS 
1339-1343 


IRANIAN YEAR 


68,500 



1339 1340 1341 1342 


























ABSTRACT 


A broad-scale superficial examination of Iran's minoral 
deposit in 1960 and 1961 established a preponderanto of load 
and zinc among the occurrences of metallic ores in Iran* These 
studies also revealed geologic criteria for blind orebodies in 
the vicinity of lead-zinc mino3 and the possibility of imoortant 
discoveries through subsurface exoloration* Recognizing the 
stimulating imoact that reliable ore-reserve information can 
imoart unon orivate investment, the U.S. Agency for Internalional 
Development in cooperation with the Iranian Ministry of Economy 
initiated a core drilling and training project in late 1962* 

After the drilling of 37 holes aggregating 6200 meters, a 
total of 35 million metric tons containing 4*0 percent lead and 
10.9 percent zinc was added to the estimated reserves of the 
first four mines explored. Some of the newly found reserves 
contain 2 to 3 ounces per ton in silver and others contain im¬ 
portant amounts of cadmium, but the ores, if upgraded to a 
marketable concentrate at 80 percent recovery, would bo worth 
$750 million for their lead and zinc content alone. Tv/o prominent 
foreign companies have engaged their resources in lead and zinc 
mining activities in this country, Iran is being acknowledged 
in foreign mining journals as one of the important potential 
sources of the World's future zinc production. 

Tho annual exnort of lead and zinc ores has risen from 
45,700 tons in the Persian Year 1341 to 117,000 tons in 1343, 



Til6 oro 3 of those two metals, considered together, ore ranked 
by GOI mineral statisticians second to petroleum In mineral 
export value. Known reserves amount to 17 million metric tons; 
in addition, 2Q million tons are inforred on the basis of core 
drilling and geologic evidence. 

The years ahead look bright for continued increases in 
lead and zinc ore production, but Iran’s mining Industry seriously 
needs an injection of operating efficiency and technical guidance 
to establish it on a permantly sound basis. Improved exploration, 
mining, beneficiation and business methods must be embraced by the 
industry lest it revert to a trivial position in the Nation’s 
economy. Those privately engaged in raining have an opportunity 
to direct their industry toward a sustained economic growth through 
the adoption of modern methods, while those in the Government, 
accountable for administering Mining Affairs, have a major 
responsibility in establishing and demonstrating standard practices. 




CONTENTS 


Part One_ 

Tran'a Role In Zinc and Lead Production 


Chapter 

Z*E! 

1 Mineral Specialization 

1 

2 The Mining Trend 

3 

3 Zinc and Lead-Today and Tomorrow 

Regulations Governing Prospecting 

10 

and Exploration 

10 

Mining in Iran 

14 

Ore Production Costs 

15 

Marketing 

18 

Zinc Production 

19 

Lead Production 

22 

Zinc Uses 

23 

Lead Uses 

24 


Part Two_ 

Zinc and Lead Deposits of Iran 


Geographic and Geologic Setting 27 

Angouran Mine 32 

Introduction 32 

Geology 33 

Mine Development 36 

Mining 37 

Exoloration 38 

Estimation of Reserves 41 

Drill Logs 42 

6 Shahkuh Mine 44 

Introduction 44 

Geology 46 

Mine Development 47 

Mining 48 

Calcining 49 

Exploration 50 

Estimate of Reserves 54 

Sulphide Ore 54 

Carbonate Ore 55 

Grade 56 

Conclusions 57 

Core Logs 59 





Chapter 


Page 


Kuchke Mino 

G5 


Introduction 

65 


Geology 

C7 


Mine Development 

70 


Exploratory Drilling 

74 


Ore Reservea 

79 


Recommendations 

01 


Drill Logs 

B3 

B 

Os bale Kuh Lead Mine 

90 


Introduction 

90 


Geology 

91 


Mining 

93 


Concentrating 

95 

9 

Zahbad Mino 

98 


Introduction 

98 


Geology 

99 


Mine Development 

101 


Mining 

102 


Beneficiation 

103 

10 

Naklak Mine 

105 


Geology 

106 


Mining 

109 


Ore Beneficiation 

112 

11 

Chah Sorb and Naieband Mines 

119 


Chah Sorb Mine 

119 


Exploration 

120 


Mining 

121 


Concentrating 

122 


Naieband Mine 

123 


Mino Development 

123 


Geology 

124 


Mining 

124 


Sorting 

125 

12 

Mahdiabad Mine 

129 


Geology 

130 


Mine Vorkings 

134 


Ex pioration 

135 


Reserves 

142 


The Carbonate Zone 

143 


The Sulphide Zone 

144 


Recommendations 

145 

13 

Lakan Mines 

146 

14 

Ravange Mine 

151 

15 

An.1 Ireh-Tiran Mine 

1 55 

10 

Small Producing Minos 

158 


Ahnngaran 

158 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


Figure Title Following Pare No • 

1 Prominent Iranian Deoosits of Lead and Zinc 27 

2 Anrouran Mine-Vertical Section 34 

3 Anrouran Mine-Simiran Company 36 

4 Anrouran Mine-Section Through Drill Holes 1, 2 and 3 39 

5 Anrouran Mine-"Dog Leg” Section Through Drill 

Holes 5, 2 and 4 37 

6 Geolorical Sketch Map of Shahkuh Mt• 46 

7 Shahkuh Mine 47 

8 Section Thru D.H. No.l - Shahkuh Mine 64 

9 Section Thru D.H. No.2 - Shahkuh Mine 64 

10 Section Thru D.H. No.3 - Shahkuh Mine 64 

11 Section Thru D.H. No.4 - Shahkuh Mine 64 

12 Section ThhU D.H. No.5 - Shahkuh Mine 64 

13 Section Thru t).H. No.6, 9 and 11 Shahkuh Mine 64 

14 Section Thru D.H. No. 7 - Shahkuh Mine 64 

15 Section Thru D.H. No.8 - Shahkuh Mine 64 

16 Map of Kuchke Mine 68 

17 Section Throurh D.H. 1 and 4-Kuchko Mine 74 

18 Section Throurh D.H. 2 and 3 - Kuchke Mine 74 

19 Section Throuph D.H. 5 - Kuchke Mine 74 

20 Section Throuph D.H. 6 - Kuchke Mine 74 

21 Section Throuph D.H. 7 - Kuchke Mine 74 

22 Section Throuph D.H. 8A-Kuchke Mine 74 

23 Section Throuph D.H. 9 - Kuchke Mine 74 

24 Section Throuph D.H. No.10 - Kuchke Mine 74 

25 Section Throuph D.H, No.11 - Kuchke Mine 74 

26 Section Throuph D.H. No. 12- Kuchke Mine 74 

27 The Environs of the Ozbak-Kuh Mine 91 

28 Ozbak-Kuh Mine Cross Section 91 

29 Flowsheet for Naklak Ore 112 

30 Mehdiabad Mine - Calamine Workings 130 

31 Mehdiabad Mine East 130 

32 Mehdiabad Mine-Section Thru D.H. A-l 135 

33 Mehdiabad Mine-Section Thru D.H. D-2 135 

34 Mehdiabad Mine-Section Thru D.H. B-3 135 

35 Mehdiabad Mine-Section Thru D.H. 3-4 135 

36 Mehdiabad Mine-Section Thru D.H. H-5 135 

37 Mehdiabad Mine-Section Thru D.H. F-6 135 

38 Mehdiabad Mine-Section Thru D.H. K-7 135 

39 Mehdiabad Mine-Section Thru D.H, L-8 135 

40 Mehdiabad Mine-Section Thru D.H. N-9 135 

41 Mehdiabad Mine-Section Thru A-A 145 

42 Mehdiabad Mine-Section Thru C-C 145 

43 Method Used in Plotting Dipole-Dipole 

Induced Polarization and Resistivity Results 193 

44 Working a Narrow Vein with Fill Obtained 213 

in the Production Stope 

45 Underhand Sloping 213 





Chapter 



Ardakan 

160 


Tarz 

162 


Khan oh Sortneh 

164 


Honeinabad 

165 


Abbaghcordioh 

167 


Siakuh 

168 

17 

Non-Producing Mines 

171 


Shah Ali. Boglu 

171 


Aigholeseh 

172 


Fassakhood 

175 


Gardanoshir 

177 


Darreh Zan.jir 

178 


Zirakan 

180 


Tajkuh 

182 


Ahwanu 

183 


Chariss eh 

185 


Faiziabad 

Part Throe 

Recommended Mining Practices 

185 

18 

Exploring for Lead and Zinc Deposits 
Geologic Mapping 

187 


Geophysical Prospecting 

190 


Core drilling 

195 


Mine Examination and Evaluation 

202 

19 

Mining Methods 

211 


(a) Very thin veins 

212 


(b) Thin veins 

213 


(c) Medium thick veins 

213 


(d) Thick veins 

214 

20 

Legal Requirements of the 



Foreign Investor 

218 


Authorization to Invest 

218 


Taxation 

220 

21 

Government's Role in Mining 

224 


Bibliography 




Flguro 

Title 

Following Page flo. 

46 

Shrinkage Stoping of Narrow Steep Vein 

214 

47 

Sublevel Sloping Method 

215 

48 

Continuous Breast Stoping 

216 

49 

Glory Hole Mining 

217 





































































PART ONE 


IRAN*S ROLE 

IN 


ZINC AN© LEAD PRODUCTION 




























- 1 - 


CHAPTER ONE 

MINERAL SPECIALIZATI ON 

Although a developing nation may recognize the 
desirability of becoming an industrial society. Its peo¬ 
ple, in general, do not fully understand the extent of 
mineral requirements demanded by modern production tech¬ 
nology, New alloys requiring special additives severely 
complicate the process of procuring raw materials. Per¬ 
haps no nation today Is sufficiently endowed with the 
many necessary elements, some of which a half century ago 
were scarcely more than names In a textbook, to establish 
from its own resources a modern integrated minerals or 
metals Industry. Such an industry must draw upon the re¬ 
sources of foreign lands In order to develop the wide 
variety of metal and mineral products in current demand. 

Consequently the modern buyer of ores and con¬ 
centrates looks upon the entire world as his sour'ce of 
supply, and follows closely the trend in output of spe¬ 
cific minerals from various areas. Likewise, mining 
companies, specializing In the production of one or two 
metals or minerals, are attracted to certain metallogen- 
etic provinces which are reputed to be abundantly enriched 
in the desired specialty, or specialties. For this reason 
any developing nation would be following a wise course 
to emphasize the development and production of those in- 




dlgenous minerals which, by reason of their superior 
abundance and marketability, offer the greatest ec¬ 
onomic reward. It should pursue this endeavor until 
Its reputation as a dependable producer of tho3o particu¬ 
lar minerals has attained world-wide attention. The ec¬ 
onomic advantage in adopting a program of specialization 
In mineral production in preference to financing costly 
mineral surveys in futile attempts to establish over-all 
self-sufficiency in mineral resources should be obvious 
to officials entrusted with the planning of mineral sur¬ 
vey policies. Yet, even today, unwarranted exploratory 
projects of drilling, areal photography, geophysical 
surveys and excavations are in progress in parts of the 
world where prior geological investigations have offered 
no promise of economic mineral occurrence. 

Iran has already established a world-wide repu¬ 
tation for her petroleum. Iran must count heavily on the 
export of her indigenous minerals, of which petroleum, 
of course. Is foremost, to provide the foreign exchange 
needed for industrial development. While it is virtually 
certain that for many years to come, petroleum produc¬ 
tion will overshadow that of all other minerals, Iran, 
nonetheless, has an opportunity to become prominent as a 
producer also of at least three others, namely lead, zinc 


and chromite. 


CHAPTER TWO 


THE MINING TREND 

The question now arises: ’’Why has not Tran 
gained prominence in the production of zinc, lead and 
chromite ores in years past?” In the case of chromite 
the answer is simple. TJp-to ten years ago, discoveries 
of chromite orebodies large enough to launch Iran into 
the circle of important chrome-producing nations had not 
been made. The financing, mine development, construction 
of transportation facilities and establishment of areas 
of marketing have been time-consuming, and It is only in 
the last two years that Iran has succeeded in boosting 
her chrome ore exports from 35,000 tpa to more than 
9'0,000 tpa. Underground development of the large Paryab 
reserves coupled with the construction of outloading 
facilities at Bandar Abbas are expected to open the way 
for at least another 100-percent increase. 

The retarding factors that have militated 
against zinc and lead production are quite different. 

The Iranian Ministry of Economy has issued exploration 
licenses on more than 200 lead and lead-zinc deposits, 
some of which are at the site of ancient workings that 
cannot be classed as new discoveries but rather as re¬ 


discoveries . 



-4- 


The history of these old workings is lost in 
antiquity since no reliable background information con¬ 
cerning them can be obtained from local inhabitants or 
ancient writings. Concerning the metal, lead, we know 
that the earliest writings make numerous references to 
it, and they emphasize its prominence among the metals 
used far back in the ages of civilization, Pliny at¬ 
tributes its discovery to King Midas of Phrygia in Asia 
Minor, who is presumed to have reigned more than 1000 
years 3.C. Moses mentions lead in the Bible in several 
places. The Phoenicians worked the lead mines of Rio 
Tinto, Spain, presumably as far back as 2300 B.C. In 
Iran old slag dumps, some nearly obliterated by cover¬ 
ings of water-born gravel and wind-blown sand, attest 
the ancient smelting of lead ores at mines such as Chah 
Sorb and Chahgaz* 

The ancients probably knew of zinc as a metal, 
but Its nature and use were presumably little understood. 
Although its use as an ornament was confirmed by dis¬ 
coveries among the ruins of Cameros, destroyed 500 B.C., 
it is believed that Its first real service to man was in 
the alloying of zinc with copper to form brass by the 
Romans about 200 B.C. In Iran there is no evidence of 
ancient mining of zinc ore per se, although ancient dumps 


at gomo of the zinc-lead mines contain pood zinc ore ex¬ 
tracted in the early lead-mining activities. 

The ancient metallurgist, with limited knowledge 
of smelting processes, found that the reduction of sul¬ 
phide lead ores to metallic lead was much more difficult 
than the reduction of lead carbonate ores. Hence, no at¬ 
tempt was made to extract ore from the sulphide zone be¬ 
low the water table. To a degree, this same practice pre¬ 
vails today, chiefly because the average mine operator is 
not financially able to install the equipment needed for 
deep mining and for sulphide-ore concentration. During 
the past two decades he has been obliged to dispose of his 
ore on the basis of small-tonnage contracts with no assur¬ 
ance of a new contract when the old one was fulfilled. 

For this reason he was reluctant to undertake any large- 
scale capital investment, and was therefore, obliged to 
restrict his mining to the shallow levels. Furthermore, 
during much of this period he was plagued by an over-sup¬ 
plied market with attendant low prices in zinc and lead. 

Prior to 1963 foreign capital had not been at¬ 
tracted to Iranian zinc and lead mining because scarcely 
any factual information regarding the extent and quality 
of these ores was available. In a sense the zinc-lead 
mining industry was in need of fact-finding and advertis- 


Ing support. After a two-year preliminary survey of Tran 1 1 
mineral resources the United States Agency for Inter¬ 
national Development recognized these needs and, in co¬ 
operation with the Ministry of Economy, Introduced an ex¬ 
ploratory core-drilling project designed to present suf¬ 
ficient factual reserve information to attract investment 
capital, or, in the event.of negative results, to dispel 
any undue optimism. Fortunately the results to date have 
been successful in proving substantial ore occurrences be¬ 
low and beyond present workings, and, now, reliable foreign 
mining firms are actively participating in the Industry. 
Along with these encouraging developments has come during 
the past two years a gradual increase in the market price 
of both lead and zinc, the prices having risen from 9j//lb 
and llj//lb, respectively, to a current (late 1964) price of 
16^/lb for each on the New York market. 

Despite these favorable aspects the operating 
problems that confront Iran’s zinc and lead mining in¬ 
dustry are awesome. Even after the existence of a lead 
or a lead-zinc deposit of minable character has been es¬ 
tablished the question of economical operation must be 
seriously studied from many angles. At the start a heavy 
capital investment Is usually required to provide for ef¬ 
ficient mining, beneficiation and marketing. The ore must 
be sufficiently rich, minable and conveniently transport¬ 
able In order to sustain a profitable operation. Inter- 


-7- 


rolated with direct operational costs are a variety of 
overhead costs such as fees, taxe3, royalties, insurance, 
school support, medical care and office upkeep. Abreast 
of these problems are those of suitable equipment, ade¬ 
quate supplies, housing, power and water. No less im¬ 
portant is the consideration of the nation's mining, in¬ 
vestment, labor and tax laws. Last, but perhaps one of 
the most troublesome problems, is the dirth of Iranian 
workmen skilled in the techniques of practical mining. 

In a country remote from both a reliable source of mining 
supplies and a market any one of the above problems could 
be responsible for an operational failure, which, in min¬ 
ing, usually means heavy financial loss. 

Iran has no lead or zinc smelter. If this coun¬ 
try wishes to convert a portion, or all, of its lead and 
zinc ores into finished metal it faces another level of 
capital investments and technological difficulties. The 
higher market price and reduced freight costs derived 
from smelting and refining, as well as the added conven¬ 
ience to local ore producers, are attractive considera¬ 
tions, but they must be weighed against other demands for 
capital and the fact that refining requires supplementary 
materials which may or may not be available. 

Marketing is a problem that demands utmost 


-R- 


attention from the local mining Industry. Iran’s lead 
and zino ores and concentrates, which at present are al¬ 
most wholly exported abroad, have been dominated by two 
markets, Russia and Western Europe. Because of long 
hauling distances and sea transportation Iran’s ores can¬ 
not easily compete with the mineral products from other 
countries which are closer to the mineral markets and, 
therefore, enjoy freight differentials. Also, due to the 
great time laps© Involved in delivery of Iran’s ores to 
foreign markets, especially the European markets, local 
producers cannot take advantage of upward shifts in prices. 
Moreover financing periods, extending from the start of 
ore-breaking In the mine to final smelter settlement, are 
usually much longer than in other business fields, and 
again the prospective mine operator must weigh his fi¬ 
nancial burden In terms of Interest against operating 
profit. 

The potential foreign investor, usually unfa¬ 
miliar with the customs of Iran and lacking In language 
proficiency, finds himself suddenly confronted with unfa¬ 
miliar business methods and political background. He 
faces the monumental task of acquainting himself with new 
mining laws and regulations, a variety of unfamiliar con¬ 
trols and rules, and the Intricacy of administrative 


-9- 


actlons and decrees that influence the investment code,, 
In the process of project preparation he may be diverted 
by unreliable information, frustrated by human communica 
tion difficulties, or even temporarily immoblized by of¬ 
ficial indecision or arbitrary action. In resolving 
these problems the foreign Investor needs all possible 
cooperation from the Iranian Government and local mining 
personnel, and based upon the local Assistance extended, 
may even be swayed in an important business decision. 

Despite all of the pitfalls in raining, a poor 
country fortunate enough to find a sizable ore deposit 
must recognize It as a potential capital asset. Left in 
the ground it is only so much stone with no intrinsic 
value; only when it has been mined and metallurgically 
processed does it become a material asset useful to man¬ 
kind. To hoard such a deposit and leave it unmined 
would be folly. 

Mining officials and engineers, both in the 
government and private sector, are aware that Iran’s 
lead and zinc reserves are fairly abundant, that recent 
exploration by core drilling has added to the known re¬ 
serves, and that during the past two years favorable 
developments have created a substantial upsurge of inter 
est, both by local and foreign raining firms. Now, if 


- 10 - 


over, is the time to expand government assistance so as 
to inject impetus to this upward swing in mining activity. 
At the same time the private sector should demonstrate its 
readiness to lend all possible support to any government- 
sponsored project directed toward promotion of the private 
mining industry. Local mining organizations should es¬ 
pecially strive to alleviate the problems of the private 
investor after, as well as before, he has firmed an orerat 
ing agreement. 


CHAPTER THREE 

ZINC AND LEAD 
TODAY AND TOMORROW 

Regulations Governing Prospecting an d E xploitation : 

Prospecting and exploitation of mineral deposits, 
including those of lead and zinc, are allowed in accord¬ 
ance with mining regulations, and are dependent upon the 
procurement of prospecting and exploitation licenses from 
the Ministry of Economy. Regulations pertaining to pros¬ 
pecting and mineral exploitation are explained in detail 
in “Mining Laws of Iran’ 1 , a publication issued by the 
Ministry of Industry and Mines (now Ministry of Economy) 
in May, 1952. 

An applicant for a prospecting license shall 
submit, against receipt, the following documentary proofs 
to the Mining Department of the Ministry of Economy: 




- 11 - 


(M Certified copy of identity card and correct 
address. If the applicant i3 a comoany, it 
shall give a copy of its articles of as¬ 
sociation, the names of the board of direc¬ 
tors and names of those authorized to sign 
along with their place of residence, 

(B) Three copies of a man at a scale of 1/253440 
indicating the limit of land applied for, 
with geographic characteristics, and based 
on a distinct and fixed spot in that area. 

(C) Payment of 30 rials per year for each square 
kilometer of land for which a prospecting 
license has been asked. 

(D) Document either of personal ownership of area, 
no ownership, or ownership by third party who 
has given up his priority’right for its 
prospection. 

(E) The issuance of a prospecting license to 
foreigners shall be subject to the approval 
of the lower house of Tar1lament. 

(F) The period of validity of a prospecting 
license is two years. Tf a license holder 
does not begin prospecting within one year 
after date of issuance the license will be 
annulled. Prosoecting licenses are not 
transferrable. 

The prospecting license issued for a particular area 
permits prospecting for all minerals of Category II, which 
includes lead and zinc. The prospector is bound to pros¬ 
pect for all minerals of the area, otherwise he will re¬ 
ceive no discovery certificate. 

Before the expiry date of the prospecting license 
the prospector must submit a detailed report of prospect¬ 
ing operations, signed by persons occupied with various 


- 12 - 


phase 3 of the work, to tho Department of Mines. Within 
two months of date of receipt of such report the Depart¬ 
ment of Mines is bound to send a mining engineer to 
determine tho accuracy of the report. 

The discovery of a mineral deposit involves per- 
formanco of the following operations; 

(A) Determination of the properties of the 
materials discovered and their constituent 
elements. 

(B) A thorough geological survey to determine 
dimensions, reserves, and other character¬ 
istics of the deposit, 

(0) Exploration as to the potentialities of 
exploitation from technical and economic 
viewpoints. 

(D) Drawing of a topographic map at a scale 
of 1/25000 showing geologic features of 
the prospected area. 

(E) Drawing of a topographic map at a scale 
of 1/1000 of the area explored with 
favorable results. 

A certificate of discovery must carry the name 
and address of the discoverer, the type of ore discovered 
and reserves according to each separate mineral. It must 
also contain a report on the possibilities of the pros¬ 
pected area, and the total cost of the work undertaken. 
Details of the prospecting work and inspections will be 
added to the register together with maps. 

An exploitation license in the name of the pros- 


-13- 


poctor of a mineral doDosit shall be Issued In the fol¬ 
lowing manner: 

(A) The prospector has to submit to the 
Mining Department tho following docu¬ 
ments and information: 

1. Name and address; 

P. Number of certificate of discovery; 

3. Completed questionnaire for determi¬ 
nation of financial and technical 
competence; 

4. Minerals that will be extracted; 

5. Time limit of exploitation license 
with designation of minimum volume 
of production in the first 3 years; 

6. Name of owner or owners of area 
where the deposit is located; 

7. Manner of payment of Government 
Duties and tyuo of guarantee; 

8. Submission of receipt for payment 
of 1000 rials for exploitation 
license. 

(B) The department of Mines will examine the 
received application, and within one 
month, will submit the application to¬ 
gether with the comments to the High 
Council of Mines. 

(C) The High Council of Mines will examine 
tho technical and financial competence 
of the apolleant, the volume of pro¬ 
duction for the first three years, the 
manner o.t payment of Government Duties, 
the amount of guarantee and the period 
of exploitation. 

(D) If all requirements are found sufficient 
tho Department of Mines will Issue and 


- 14 - 


deliver to the applicant within 15 day3 
of fulfillment of all conditions the 
requested exploitation license signed 
by the Minister of Economy or his deputy. 

If conditions are insufficient in the opinion 
of the High Council the exploitation of the deposit will 
be ceded to the highest bidder. 

The exploiter of mineral products of Category II, 
which includes all base-metal minerals, is bound to pay the 
Government 4 percent of the extracted product at the mine, 
or its value at the prevailing rate. The exploiter must 
also pay the landowner, whether a person, group of persons 
or the Government, a fee at the rate of 3 percent ol the 
extracted product at the mine or its equivalent in rials 
at the prevailing rate. 

Mining in Ira n; 

In all of the lead and zinc-lead producing mines 
in Iran, whether the daily output is 5 tons or 150 tons, 
the manner of extraction is much the same. The small 5-tpd 
producer may have a 125-ou ft/min-capacity compressor, one 
rock drill, two ore cars, loo meters of air pipe and track, 
and a dozen employees. The ore is mined from one working 
place, or two at most. The ore is hand-sorted and placed 
in bags outside the mine. A thirty-fold increase in these 
facilities gives one a fair description of the layout used 
by the 150-tpd producer. Some of the larger mines have 



pumping and hoisting oquipmont actuated by electric motors. 
Seven have concentrators ranging from 10-to 150-tpd cap¬ 
acity; four of those are small-scale gravity plants, throe 
are equippod for flotation; yet, for the most part, onera- 
tion3 are antiauated. 

In general the small ore deposits do not warrant 
capital investments beyond their present equipment status, 
but working efficiency at the small mines could be im¬ 
proved by making drifts, raises and crosscut more accessible 
by providing the stopoo with ore passes and by building 
small loading pockets for truck loading at the surface. A 
small generating plant for underground and surface light¬ 
ing is a minor investment which could greatly improve work¬ 
ing efficiency. The high dust content of mine air could 
be greatly reduced by wot drilling. 

Modernization of onerations at three of the 
largest mines is at least In the planning stage. The 
adoption of scrapers, electric haulage, shaft ore pockets, 
two-compartment hoisting and more efficient mining methods 
aro in store for the underground onerations. Adequate re¬ 
pair shops and modern concentrating plants are included in 
the development program. 

Ore Production Costs : 

Few, if any, itemized cost accounts are main¬ 
tained by mine operators in Iran. Supported by some 



- 16 - 


knowledgo of various activities required in producing a 
ton of sorted ore, and by adopting hypothetical situations, 
one may arrive at a production cost figure that would fall 
in the general average range. 

Let it be assumed that, (1) lead ore is to be 
mined from underground workings entered from hillside sur¬ 
face by 100 meters of crosscut, (2) the ore is broken by 
overhand stopinp, blasted, and drawn into ore cars at the 
tram level, (3) timbering and hand-sorting are required, 
but no pumping, (4) compressed air is developed by portable 
machines and delivered through pipes to the working face, 
and (5) the mino is situated 75 km from a railroad and 800 
more rail miles from a seaport. Direct production costs 
for ore ton of sorted ore are estimated as follows: 

rials 


Labor - 6 mandays @ R 60 360 
Supplies-explosivos, fuel, timber, tools 160 
Capital equip.-compressors, drills, cars 130 
Overhead-supervision, travel, office 120 
Truck haul - 75 km @ H 2 150 
Rail haul - 800 km @ R 0.5 400 
Port charges 140 
Royalty - (Gov.-4$; land owner-3^) 340 


Total direct cost r 1,800 

(= # 24.00) 


These costs do not include exploration, engineer¬ 
ing, assaying, corporate income tax, or legal expense which 
are too indefinite in scope to estimate separately, or 
collectively. 




-17- 


Now, let It. be assumed that, (1) zinc-lead ore 
la to be mined from underground workings at 65 meters 
below the surface, (2) the ore Is broken by overhand min¬ 
ing In a cut-and-flll stope, (3) the ore Is transferred 
to ore chutes and then Into cars, trammed 100 meters to 
a vertical shaft and hoisted to the surface, (4) the ore 
Is hand-trammed to a sorting area, sorted, and again 
trammed to calcining kilns, (5) alter calcining the ore 
is placed in baps and truck hauled 800 km to Pahlavl on 
the Caspian seacoast. Oirect production costs for one 
ton of calcined ore are estimated as follows: 

Labor-breaklnp, tramming, hoisting, sorting 360 

Supplies-explosives, fuol, timber, tools ” 180 

Capital equipment-hoist, compressor, 


drills, cars 

Overhead-suoervision, travel, office 
Calcining and bagping 
Truck haul-800 km < rials 1,5 
Royalty 

Total direct cost 


150 

130 

500 

1,200 

330 


Rls 2,850 
( - £38.00 ) 


As in the previous example these do not include the in¬ 
definite fringe costs. 

If the zinc-lead ores were of the sulphide type 
and occurred as a tabular strata-form type orebody the 
broken ore would likely be pulled by drag-scraper into 
ore chutes. The ore would presumably be crushed, ground 
and concentrated by bulk or selective flotation. Assuming 





- 10 - 


other conditions to bo similar to those of the previous 
example of zinc-lead ore production, calcining excepted, 
the production cost would possibly be slightly higher due 
to the higher concentrating cost in employing flotation 
rather than calcining. A mill-grade ore usually implies 
a greater tonnage, all of which must undergo all of the 
mining stages including breaking, loading, tramming, 
hoisting, crushing, grinding and preconcentrate treatment. 
The total direct cost of producing and delivering to sea¬ 
port under the foregoing conditions is estimated to be not 
less than Rl$ 3,000. 

M arketing : 

All shipments to foreign buyers aro made in ac¬ 
cordance with stipulations set forth by a firm contract 
between buyer and seller. Thoso contracts, in which the 
seller agrees to deliver and the buyer agrees to receive 
a definite tonnage of ore of specified minimum grade is usu¬ 
ally established for one-year duration. If the ore is 
destined to an European market the seller prepares an in¬ 
voice showing estimated weight and grade, and sends this 
along with the shipper’s bill-of-lading to the buyer, 
advising the port, vessel and date of cargo departure. 
Customarily the ore buyer accepts the seller's estimate 
on a temporary basis, and, upon receipt of the ore lot, 



-19- 


preparos a smelter settlement sheet on the basis of quoted 
metal prices for the month following date of shipment, and 
on the basis of established schedule for smelter charges, 
premiums, penalties, etc. The charges for ocean freight, 
lonpshorinp, insurance and warehousing are deducted. The 
buyer then pays the shipper 80 percent of the indicated 
not return. Later, after exact weight, moisture content, 
and metal content have been determined to the satisfaction 
of the buyer and the seller’s representative, a final set¬ 
tlement is made. Most of the Iranian ore shippers maintain 
representatives at prominent smelters in Western FUrope. 
Some representatives serve multiple shippers. 

The schedule of payment by the Russian ore buyers 
is somewhat different. They offer a flat rate per unit of 
contained metal (a short-ton unit is 20 pounds). For 
example, as of this writing, the scheduled price per unit 
of zinc contained in calcine: 1 ore assaying 50 percent zinc, 
or better. Is 128 rials. Such an ore, then, properly pack¬ 
aged and delivered, is worth at least 6,400 rials (& 85.33) 
a ton. In the matter of bagging, the Russian specifications 
as to quality of material and construction are rather ex¬ 
acting. 

Zinc Production : 

In years past Iran has held a very minor position 
amonp the nations of the world in the production of zinc. 



CO- 


Tn the year 1955 (Porslan year 1334) statistics showed 
that Iran produced 6,300 snort tons out of a total world 
production of 3,180,000 tons. In the years 1339-1342, 
inclusive, Iran 1 s position improved slightly with an aver¬ 
age annual production of 9,000 tons. In the Persian year 
1343 3ama Company and Simiran Company began to oush pro¬ 
duction from the Shahkuh, Anpouran and Kuchke Mines to 
the limit of existing mining facilities. At the same 
time a British mininr firm, the Rio Tinto Zinc Corpora¬ 
tion, and an Amorican firm, American Metals-Climax Com¬ 
pany, became active in the exploration and development of 
Iran’s zinc-lead deposits. The importance of the advent 
of foreign activity is that modern mining techniques are 
being introduced into an industry long retarded by out¬ 
moded operating practice. 

This country’s future expansion in zinc pro¬ 
duction due to foreign participation and the recent dis¬ 
covery of important additional reserves is met with con¬ 
fident anticipation by some of the world’s mining au¬ 
thorities. In the September 1964 issue of .Engineering 
and Mining Journal under the article ’’Quotas Incompatable 
with Current Zinc Shortage”, page 96, the author, George 
H. Blackett, a mineral economist, presents a 1969 forecast 
for increases in zinc output by countries of the Free 
World. Condensed, the table shows the following increases 


ovor 1963 production: 


- 21 - 


Country 


Production Increaso 
in Short Tons of 
Recoverable Zinc 


Canada 445,000 
Ireland 112,000 
United States 95,000 
Iran 63,000 
Australia 60,000 
Bolivia 50,000 
Japan 30,000 
Northern Rhodesia 17,000 
Yugoslavia 10,000 
Italy 6,000 
France 5,000 
Sweden 4,000 


Total Increases 897,000 

Less reduced output by Mexico,) 

Algeria, Morocco and others ) 42,000 


Net increase 855,000 


While Mr. Blackett's forecast places Tran in 
No.4 position in production increase, the oredicted out¬ 
put, if exactly fulfilled, would place Iran in No.12 pos¬ 
ition in total zinc output among the nations of the Free 
World. In years past her total output position has been 
far down the list at about No.25. Since an additional 
200,000 tons per year will be needed to offset the world’s 
supply deficiency as evidenced by the draw-down of the 
world'3 reserve stock of zinc, Mr. Blackett estimates a 
F'ree World mine production Increase of 30 percent by the 
end of 1969. Iran’s role in this predicted expansion 
appears to be reasonably estimated. The Angouran should 








- 22 - 


bo fu 11 y equipped Tor open coat: mining at n crude-ore- 
production rote of 500 tpd by early 1966. Thereafter 
Angouran should sustain an annual output of 500 x 300 
x 0.30 or 45,000 tons of contained zinc. The Shahkuh, 
at an output of 100 tpd of crude ore should account for 
100 x 300 x 0.P8, or 8,400 tpa of contained zinc. The 
Kuchke by 1968, should be equipped for bulk-concentrate 
yield of 195 tpd with a zinc content of 40 percent. The 
yearly production of contained zinc from Kuchke would be 
15,000 tons. The output from these three mines can easily 
total 68,400 tpa, and all other sources of zinc-bearing 
ores should add another 1,600 tons, bringing Iran*s total 
to a full 70,000 tpa. If this materializes and the higher 
metal price remains, the export value increase will 
greatly exceed the indicated ten-fold productio n increase. 
Lead Production : 

The proportion of lead in the earth*s crust is 
estimated at 16 parts per million. The lead-aluminium 
ratio is 1 to 500; lead-iron, 1 to 300; lead-copper, 

1 to 5; and lead-zinc, 1 to 8. Although these figures 
show lead to be considerably less abundant than most of 
the other common metals the occurrence of economic lead 
orebodies are widely distributed throughout the world. 

There are over 50 lead-producing countries; 






yet over half of the total world output comos from five: 
namely, Australia, TT.S.S.R., United States, Canada and 
Mexico. These five collectively produce ore and concen¬ 
trate containing approximately 1,360,000 tons of recover¬ 
able lead annually, whereas the world’s total is close to 
2.6 million tons. As in zinc production, Iran, in past 
years has ranked about 25th in total output In lead. Up 
to and including 1958 (Persian year 1337) the contained 
lead in this country’s marketable ores amounted to about 
7,500 tpa. In the more recent years 1338 to 1341 pro¬ 
duction has increased to 18,000 tpa. 

Higher lead prices starting in 1963 and continu 
Ing through 1964 have induced miners to expand production 
to reopen some closed mines and at a few denosits, to re¬ 
new exploration. These activities will undoubtedly In¬ 
crease Iran’s lead ore exports, the extent of which are 
not readily estimated. However, looking ahead as far as 
1969, an annual production of ores and concentrates con¬ 
taining 25,000 tons of contained lead is believed a con¬ 
servative estimate. 

Zinc Uses * 

The major uses of rsino in the industrial 
economy of today are for galvanizing Iron and steel pro¬ 
ducts, for manufacture of the copper-zino alloys and zinc 



-24- 


baa© alloys used In die casting by the automobile, elec¬ 
trical appliance, hardware and other manufacturing in¬ 
dustries. Zinc in the form of rolled sheets is used in 
the manufacture of dry-cell battery cans, photoengraving 
and lithographing plates, boiler plates, weather stripping 
and flashing. Zinc oxide, which is produced both from 
zinc ore and from zinc metal is used principally in the 
production of zinc pigments for the manufacture of rubber, 
paints, ceramics, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. 

Relatively few of the products named above are 
manufactured in Iran at present, but, once iron and steel 
products are locally available, galvanizing and die cast¬ 
ing will follow. Interest is already developing in in¬ 
dustries requiring dry-cell battery cans and zinc pigment. 
The availability of slab and sheet zinc as well as zinc 
oxide through the introduction of local smelting facil¬ 
ities might well be the added inducement necessary for 
the creation of a variety of new zinc-related industries. 
Lead Uses ; 

Lead, with a specific gravity of 11.34 and a 
relative hardness (Moh’a scale) of 1.5, is the softest, 
heaviest and most corrosion-resistant of the common 
metals, factors that determine many of its uses. Other 
factors that influence its usefulness are low melting 



point, high boiling point, onergy absorption and trans¬ 
mission qualities, moderately low price and hirh recovers 
bility, and modifyinp effect on fuel combustion. On the 
other hand, lack of strength of pure lead makes It un¬ 
desirable for many uses to wnich it would otherwise di¬ 
rectly be put. Lead can be strengthened by adding vari¬ 
able amounts of antimony, arsenic and alkali and alkaline 
earth metals, and yet retain most of its desirable qual¬ 
ities. Antimony is the preferred alloying metal for most 
of these hard lead products. 

A major part of the world's lead supply is 
used in the making of storage batteries, tetraethyl fluid 
paint, pigments, industrial alloys, and construction 
materials. 

Iran is emerging Into the early stages of in¬ 
dustrialization in which metallic lead and load compounds 
may progressively come into increased demand. At pres¬ 
ent metallic lead imports in the form of pigs and ingot3 
average about 500 tpa. It is used in a variety of ways, 
as for lead calking, ammunition, bearing alloys, and lead 
baths for annealing. A. few hundred tons of low-quality 
lead (about 90-percent Pb) are smelted annually in a 
primitive-type blast furnace at the government-operated 
Naklak lead mine, but the metal pigs, like the ore and 
concentrate, are chiefly sold to the Russian buyers. 


- 26 - 


Compounds of lead such as litharge and red lead 
find ust, In glass, rubber and paint manufacture In Iran, 


PART TWO 

ZINC AND LEAD 

DEPOSITS OF IRAN 
































- 27 - 


CHAPTER FOUR 

GEOGRAPHIC AND GEOLOGIC SETTI NG 

Lead and zinc ores of Iran, with few exceptions, 
occur in the north central part, within a triangular area, 
of which the NW-SE-oriented Zagros Range forms the base, 
the Elborz Range represents one leg, and a Kerman-Meshed 
alignment the other, as shown in Figure 1, The Dasht-e- 
Kavir sand-covered wasteland occupying the heart of the 
triangle, is ringed by a notable distribution of mineral 
occurrences. The most richly mineralized section is the 
broad hill-dotted plateau paralleling the Zagros Range on 
the northeast. This section, lying roughly parallel to a 
major thrust line, is characterized by prominent deforma¬ 
tions featured particularly by folds, fractures, faults, 
structural troughs and breccia zones, and may be properly 
classified as a metallogenetic province embracing not only 
a majority of the lead and zinc deposits but also the 
principal iron and copper deposits of Iran. Calcareous 
sediments are the predominant rocks of the region, although 
tuffs and ultra-basics are fairly abundant. Basic and in¬ 
termediate volcanics occur in moderate distribution, while 
granites are found in only a few locations 

In the chain of ore-building developments, follow¬ 
ing the Initial link of differential crystallization in 
molten magma, we find in Iran evidence of a variety of 




- 20 - 


processes affecting metallic mineral emplacement. These 
processes are variously induced by physical environment, 
chemical action, biochemical deposition, or by combina¬ 
tions of these. Some orebodies show evidence of third- and 
fourth-stage development involving tectonic disturbances, 
disintegration, redistribution and remobilization of mineral 
constituents. 

Classified on the basis of formative processes that 
emplaced Iran*a zinc and lead deposits as they occur today, 
four distinctive types are recognized; namely, cavity-fil¬ 
ling, hydrothermal replacement, oxidation and sedimentation. 
Each of these four types is exemplified in this report by 
one or several deposits that are presently being exploited 
or have recently been developed for exploration. 

Any rock mass containing sufficient lead, zinc, or 
lead and zinc minerals together, to enable economic recovery 
of the contained metals may be classified as load ore, zinc 
ore or lead-zinc ore, respectively. 

Galena, the cubic crystalline, metallic gray lead 
sulphide (PbS), and cerussite, an orthorhombic crystalline, 
light gray lead carbonate (PbC03), are the principal lead 
minerals In Iran. Pure galena is 86.4 percent lead and has 
a specific gravity of 7.5; pure cerussite is 77.5 percent 
lead and has a specific gravity of 6.5. Cerussite, in places, 


is found to be colorless or white, and if Iron oxide Is 
present, even In very amall amount, a dull red or brownish 
red color predominates. The association of silver with the 
lead minerals is fairly common. 

Zinc blende, or sphalerite, the cufcic crystalline 
sulphide of zinc (ZnS) occurs extensively in dolomitic 
limestones and usually in association with galena. Pure 
sphalerite is 67.0 percent zinc and has a specific gravity 
of 4.0. When pure, the color is white, but in nature iron 
is usually associated chemically and contributes coloration 
which may appear as yellow, brown, red r preen or black. 
Minerals of manganese and cadmium may also be associated 
with sphalerite; in fact the presence of rhodocrosite 
(MnC03) in favorable geologic situations is looked upon by 
some geologists as an important criteria for zinc ore 
occurrence. 

Smithsonite, the carbonate of zinc (ZnC03), has 
doubtless been the most important source of Iran’s zinc 
production. It occurs usually In small curved crystals 
forming collectively into highly porous cellular masses. 

It has a specific gravity of 4.3 and is 52 percent zinc. 

It occurs extensively In dolomites and limestones as a 
secondary mineral commonly associated with cerussite and 
hemlmorphite, a hydrous zinc silicate. 


1965 ESTIMATE OF LEAD AND ZINC ORE RESERVES IN IRAN 


Mine and 

Minerals 

Estimated 

Reserves in 

Average 

(Operat tng 

in Order of 

Thousands 

of Metric Tons Grade of 

Ore 

Comoany 

imoortanc e 

Proven 

Probable 

Inferred Pb 

2n 


Smithsonite 





Anpouran 

Ceru3site 

4,250 

3000 

1,000 10.0 

30.C 

(Simiran ) 

Sphalerite 
Galena 





Kuchke 

Sphalerite 





(Simiran 

Galena 

1,350 

4,000 

2.5 

10.£ 


Smlth3onite 





Jhahkuh 

Cerusslte 

500 

1,000 

6.0 

28.0 

(Bama) 

Sphalerite 

Galena 





Mehdlabad 

Smithson!te 

) — 


IB,000 2.9 

7.1 


Cerusslte 

) 




( * ) 

Sphalerite) 
Galena ) 

-- 


6,000 2.9 

3.e 

Ozbakuh 
(Maaden Lute) 

Galena 

10 

— 

12.0 

2.C 

Zahbad 

Sphalerite 





(Mlnak) 

Gal ena 

60 

100 

4.5 

6 .C 

Ravange 

Galena 





(Ravere) 

Ceruse ite 

150 

500 

6.0 

— 

Naklak 

Gal ena 

50 

100 

10.0 


(Iran Mining 
and Met.) 






Chah Sorb 
(Khuhestan) 

Galena 

20 

100 

15.0 

-■ 

Mieband 

Sphalerite 





(Khuho3 tan) 

Galena 

20 

100 

3.0 

fi.< 

Anjiroh Tiran 

Sphalerite 





(Tirnn) 

Gal ena 

Sm i th 3 on i t e 

20 

200 

200 7*0 

18. ( 


Cerusslte 















31 - 


\rdokan 
(Simiran) 

Smithsonito 
Corussito 

50 

4hangeran 
(Sima) 

Galena 

Sphalerite 

20 

jakan 

( inkiHAor) 

Galena 

Sphalerite 

100 

lose inabad 
[Mustabai) 

Galena 

Sphalerite 

50 

111 others 


450 

’otal 


7,100 


250 

300 

15.0 

25.0 


500 

10.0 

10.0 


200 

5.0 

2.0 

750 

100 

1,700 

14.0 

14.0 

9,900 

28,000 




Exeloration in progress; not in present production. 







- 32 - 


CHAPTER FIVE 
ANGOURAN MINE 


Introduction : 

The Simiran Company (Societe Industrielle et 
Minlore Iranlenne) was established in 1946 as a Joint 
stock enterprise. After two increases the actual capi¬ 
talization is now 15 million rials. The board of 
directors are: Engineer M. Rastegar, President, Mr. E. 
Yamini, Managing Director, Mrs. M. R. Rastegar, Director. 
Simiran, with main office at passage Simiran, 732 Saadi 
Ave., Tehran, is reported to be the first private mining 
company formed in Iran. 

In 1950, Simiran Company took an active interest 
in the Angouran Mine, and acquired 51 per cent of the 
shares and control of the Angouran Company, the latter 
being capitalized at 7 million rials. Angouran Mine 
Exploration Permit No.38733 was issued January 20, 1956 
in the name of Angouran Company and for a period of 15 
years. 

The mine is situated in the Azerbayjan Ostan 
about 85 kilometers west of Zanjan at an altitude of 
2950 meters above sea level. By motor vehicle from 




Zanjan the mine can be reached by proceding 87 km south¬ 
west on the Zan.lan-Bijar gravelled highway and thence 96 
km northwest on an ungraded mountain road which is not 
suitable for winter travel. Zanjan is the nearest rail¬ 
head and the nearest source of basic supplies. The Iran¬ 
ian Ministry of Roads has surveyed a proposed road align¬ 
ment from Zanjan to a village about 12 km south of the 
mine, and has included In its 5-year construction program 
the building of an all-weather feeder road along this 
route. 

During the severest winter months, mid-November 
to mid-March, operations are confined mostly to under¬ 
ground exploration by 25 to 30 employees. During the 
balance of the year nearly 200 workers are engaged in ex¬ 
tracting ore by open pit mining followed by calcining. 

The mine’s annual output of exportable lead-zinc ore is 
about 10,000 tons of calcined and crude product with a 
combined metal content of 40 to 52 per cent. Production 
during Persian year 1343 amounted to 36,000 tons of zinc- 
lead ore, the major portion of which was shipped to 
England. 

Geology : 

The mineralized area occupies a fractured 
structural trough in shalley limestone and dolomite. Ap¬ 
parently the trend of the orebody conforms to the plunge 



- 34 - 


of tho trough, or about S 20° K. Sediments on the west 
pttch about 35° easterly while those on tho east pitch 
1os 3 steeply to the west. A section about midway of the 
doposit is shown in Fig. 2, Three major fracture zones, 
two in the western and one in the eastern flank, are 
aligned roughly parallel to each other and to the long 
axis of the orebody. The No. 2 Tunnel intercepts the 
intermediate fracture zone 20 meters inside the adit and 
the most westerly one 105 meters inside. No.3 Drill Hole 
is situated near, or within, the most easterly fracturing. 

The Angouran orebody is capped in part by a 
blocky grey limestone and is directly underlain by barren 
micaceous schist. The 3chist is believed to belong to a 
metamorphosed series represented by surface exposures of 
granitic gneiss and finely crystalline marbles in an area 
five km east of the mine. 

At its central part the Angouran orebody is 
directly exposed at the surface, some of the limestone 
capping having been naturally eroded away, and some hav¬ 
ing been removed by stripping. The limestone both on 
the east side and west side dips toward the ore, indicat¬ 
ing the past occurrence of a natural slump in the limestone 
capping. The slumping is believed to have developed slowly 
as a result of oxidation and structural woakening of the 
underlying zinc and lead minerals. Displaced limestone 


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fragments in the upper part of the orebody and localized 
fracturing of the ore itself are convincing evidence of 
post-mineral subsidence. The gangue associated with the 
ore consists almost entirely of clay, a residual product 
of the chemical decay of limestone. 

The apparent attitude of the orebody is that of 
the underlying schist which dips slightly southeast. 

Lead and zinc minerals in the upper two-thirds of the 
deposit are largely smithsonite, cerussite, hydrozincite 
and calamine, whereas more than fifty percent in the low¬ 
er one-third consist of sphalerite and galena. Regardless 
of the process of original deposition the mineralogical 
evidence points unquestionably to the prior existence of 
sulphide minerals in the place now occupied by carbonates 
of lead and zinc. 

Host sulphide orebodies of zinc and lead contain 
some pyrite as well. It is likely that the original 
Angouran was no exception since there are limonitic ex¬ 
posures which presumably developed by hydrolizing from 
ferric sulfate, an ozidation product of pyrite. Some of 
the ferric sulfate undoubtedly reacted with sphalerite 
in the following manner: 

ZnS + 4 Fe 2 ( SO4) 3 +4H2 r >=ZnS0 i ^+8FeS04+4H2S04 

The zinc sulfate, soluble in surface waters, 
trickled downward and, in contact with limestone, reacted 


to form zino carbonate precipitate and calcium sulphate. 
The zinc carbonate was left behind while the soluble 
calcium sulfate was carried away. Continued reactions 
of this kind presumably enriched the lower ore strata in 
zinc* mixing carbonates with the sulphides. These re¬ 
actions also account for the chemical decay of the lime¬ 
stone, the residual clay, the removal of support to the 
overlying strata and the inevitable subsidence. The 
Angouran deposit as it now exists is believed to have 
been enriched throughout by the migration of zinc sulfate 
and its reaction with the carbonate rocks as well as by 
the chemical removal of barren ingredients. The under¬ 
lying mica schist formed an impervious floor for descend¬ 
ing zinc-bearing solutions and thus localized deposition. 
The original sulphide manta had been largely removed by 
solution and erosion. Galena may also have reacted with 
ferric sulfate to produce lead sulfate. The latter, 
though not soluble in ordinary ground water, may have re¬ 
acted ip place with carbonated waters and yielded cer- 
rusite. Secondary enrichment of this nature is not un¬ 
common in arid or semi-arid regions as at Angouran. 

Mine Development : 

The mine is opened by adit drifts on three levels 
as shown on the Angouran Mine map in Figure No. 3 : 

No. 1 Drift at 2906 meters, No.2 at 2958 meters and an 



- — ' 

CO 

O"' 



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U> 


ANGOURAN MINE 

S1MIRAN COMPANY 



























Intermediate Drift at 2938 meters above aea level. The 
lowost or No.l Drift, enters the hillside 150 meters 
southeast of the most southerly ore outcrop and trends 
N 70°E 370 meters to a point nearly vertically below No.2 
Adit. Five crosscuts aggregating 300 meters of excava¬ 
tion were driven at intervals along No.l Drift to explore 
for ore to the right and left. 

Excavations at the No.2 Adit level form roughly 
a 70-meter square with drifts extending 20 to 60 meters 
beyond the corner intersections. This comprises about 
450 meters of crosscutting and drifting of which 85 per¬ 
cent reveals high-grade carbonate ore.. The Intermediate 
workings aggregate 190 meters of drifts and crosscuts In 
the southwestern section and reveal ore in about 50 per¬ 
cent of the excavation. An exploratory vertical shaft 
near the center of the orebody revealed ore to its full 
depth of 29 meters. 

Mining : 

Encumbered by winter snows and unimproved roads 
the Simiran Company has been obliged to restrict mining 
operations to the warmer period each year of May to 
October, inclusive. These unfavourable conditions have 
resulted In annual ore production falling considerably 
below that of similar deposits situated in areas of mild¬ 
er climate and all-weather roads. 



Ore produced in modern times has been mined pri¬ 
marily from an open cut in the area directly ea3t of No.2 
Adit. Since much of the ore is soft and friable it re¬ 
quires a minimum of blasting, and it can be loosened by 
pneumatic picks. Little ore sorting is necessary because 
of the uniformly high quality. Zinc ore is truck-hauled 
to a bank of ten kilns where it is calcined at a rate of 
20 tons per week per kiln. The output of calcined ore 
containing 45-55 per cent zinc and 5 to 6 per cent lead is 
700 to 900 tons monthly. Some crude, particularly high- 
grade lead ore, is only upgraded by hand sorting. 

Crude and calcined ores are hauled by truck to 
Zanjan for temporary storage and later by rail to the 
Persian Gulf or the Caspian Coast for trans-shipment by 
water. Formerly the bulk of the ore was sold to Russian 
ore buyers who did not pay for lead in a shipment of zinc 
ore. A large part of the ore now is shipped to European 
markets. A British firm operating a smelter in Avon- 
mouth, England, recovers both metals and pays on a two- 
metal basis. 

Explorati on: 

Among the more promising zinc-lead mines selected 
for exploration under the Economic Minerals Survey Project 
the Angouran was the second at which core drilling was 
undertaken. This project was a cooperative effort by the 














































































- 30 - 


U.S. Agency for International Development, Iran f s Ministry 
of Eoonomy and the mining companies, themselves, to es¬ 
tablish ore reserves and to determine the extent to which 
expansion of the mining industry might be warranted. 

Drilling at Angouran was started September 12, 
1963, and ended October 15, a month and 3 days later. Due 
to the threatening approach of early snows and impassable 
roads the drilling was limited to five holes. 

Hole No.l was drilled from a point in the open 
cut 40 meters east of No.2 Adit to a vertical depth of 
380 feet, or 116 meters. (All drill-hole locations are 
shown on the accompanying mine map, and sections through 
drill holes are presented on two separate sketches). The 
core revealed a vertical thickness of 99 feet (30 meters) 
of ore of which 18 feet (5.5 meters) was sulphide. 

Hole No.2 was started from a pit within the open 
cut from a point 7j meters lower in elevation and 50 
meters northeast of Hole No.l. Starting in ore, the drill 
penetrated a continuous vertical thickness of 176 feet 
(53.8 meters) of ore, then passed through a porphyry sill 
of 3.5 meters thickness into shale and bottomed at 280 
feet (85 meters). Sulphide ore occurred in the lower 
89.5 feet (27.3 meters) of the orebody. 

Hole No.3 was situated on the northeast exten¬ 
sion of the Hole 1 - Hole 2 line and 60 meters from the 


- 40 - 


la tt or. It was drilled vorticnlly In what unfortunatoly 
proved to be fractured and cavernous limestone. The first- 
25 feet was overburden. At 33 feet the drill passed from 
limestone into 23.5 feet of carbonate ore carrying 46 to 
52 percent zinc and lead; of the next 37 feet 11.5 feet 
showed material of 14 percent grade, the balance, less. 
Below this was a cavernous zone of 28 feet from which very 
little core was obtained. The grade of the small sample 
collected was 45 percent. Another 74.5 feet, of which 21 
was sulphide ore, assayed 45 percent lead and zinc combined. 
The drill passed into schist at 198 feet (60 meters) and 
bottomed in schist at 330 feet (100 meters). 

Hole No.4 situated 37 meters northwest of Hole 
No.2 disclosed 154 feet (47 meters) of continuous carbonate 
ore directly below the bottom of the open cut. Prom 154 
feet to the hole bottom at 265.6 feet (80.7 meters) the 
material was entirely schist. 

Hole No.5 was started at a point 120 meters south¬ 
east of Hole No.2 and pointed toward the latter at an in¬ 
clination of 70 degrees. The drill passed through only 
limestone to a depth of 198.5 feet (60 meters) on the In¬ 
cline, then encountered 63 feet (19 meters) of ore, of 
which 19 feet was sulphide. Again the drill entered lime¬ 
stone, and at 310.8 feet passed from shaley limestone into 
3chist, and finally bottomed in the latter formation at 



7958.0 

2954.5 


—g HL - 


2924.0 

29 / 8.0 



2842 


2950.5 


2924.0 



2 9 OS. 5 

2900.5 

2696.5 


2865.5 


2Q51.2 - j&m 

LEGEND 

WWi TALUS 


SCHIST 


ANGOURAN MINE 
SECTION THROUGH DRILL HOLES L2AND3 

0 10 10 SO 40 


LIMESTONE 

CAROONATEORE 

MIXED CARR. AND 
SULFIDE ORE 

SULFIDE ORE 


FIG.4 


ELEVATIONS IN METERS 

Scale in Meters 


T.U. D. /O/jo/43 


ii 


























































































































339 feet (103 meters). 
Estimation of Reserves: 


Prior to the drilling program the Siminan Company 
had indicated by underground excavation and open cut mining 
as described above under MINE DEVELOPMENT and MINING, a 
total reserve of 3.5 million tons of dominantly carbonate 
ore. In May 1961 these workings were systematically sam¬ 
pled cooperatively by the writer and Engineer Folaudian of 
the Ministry of Economy. The lead and zinc content of thes 
analyses are shown on the Angouran Mine Map. At the same 
time the mine workings were surveyed and mapped. 

The drilling in 1963 served to prove 1.25 million 
tons of the previously Indicated ore and to indicate an 
additional 0,75 million tons. The total Indicated and 
proved , therefore, is estimated at 4.25 million tons. In¬ 
asmuch as the drilling was entirely inside the ore limits 
it was not unreasonable to infer the occurrence of 4.4 
million tons outside the area assigned to indicated and 
proven reserves, as shown on the mine map. The predic ~ 
tion was substantiated by Company exploration extending 
the lowest mine exploration drift another 420 meters north¬ 
east, and exploring also the southwest area. This work was 
performed during the 1963-64 winter months under a joint 
operating agreement between Slmiran and the Rio Tinto Zinc 
Corp. Ore was exposed for a total of 380 meters out of 










- 42 - 


tho 420 motors of additional drift. Exploration during 
tho past year not only establishes Angouran as Iran's great 
ost single deposit of base-metal reserves but also as one 
of the outstanding zino-lead orebodies of the world. 

A possible ore zone not shown on the map is in 
the extreme west beyond the most westerly fracture zone. 

If the fracturing and faulting is post-mineral then there 
is a fair possibility for a westerly extension of ore 
above the schist formation exposed in Tunnel No.2 west of 
the fracture zone. 

Drill Logs : 


Depth in Feet Percent 

Hole Sample Rock Type 

No. No. 



From 

To 



Pb 

Zn 


0.0 

10.0 

black shale 





10.0 

12.0 

gray shale 




114 

12.0 

41.0 

decomposed 

limestone 

2.25 

24.91 


41.0 

60.0 

black gougy 

shale 



115 

60.0 

69.0 

decomposed 

limestone 

7.12 

32.35 

116 

69.0 

74.0 

ti 

ti 

1.76 

42.55 

117 

74.0 

78.5 

»» 

it 

8.82 

37.38 

118 

78.5 

85.0 

it 

ti 

12.29 

35.75 

119 

85.0 

88.8 

tt 

it 

11.63 

38.59 

120 

88.8 

94.5 

tt 

tt 

6.09 

43.64 

121 

94.5 

102.1 

tt 

it 

26.90 

20.87 

122 

102.1 

105.6 

if 

tt 

23.22 

32.23 

123 

105.6 

111.5 

it 

ti 

25.39 

25.37 

124 

111.5 

113.5 

it 

tt 

25.19 

23.47 

125 

113.5 

118.0 

ti 

it 

12.16 

33.85 

126 

118.0 

121.4 

ft 

it 

14.38 

34.39 

127 

121.4 

124.0 

it 

it 

15.49 

32.93 

128 

124.0 

127.2 

it 

tt 

6.82 

42.09 

129 

127.2 

130.0 

n 

tt 

2.10 

36.51 


130.0 

189.0 

mica schist 





189.0 

380.0 

black shale 













Depth in Feet Percent 

Hole Sample Hock Type 

No. No. 

From To Pb Zn 



97 

0.0 

5.5 

decomposed limestone 

8.99 

19.36 


98 

5.5 

19.2 

»t 

ii 

12.66 

12.98 


99 

19.2 

27.0 

it 

it 

9.31 

19.08 


100 

27.0 

32.5 

it 

ti 

10.89 

23.23 


101 

32.5 

42.6 

ti 

it 

9.35 

12.90 


101A 

42.6 

49.6 

it 

ii 

4.46 

30.27 


102 

49.6 

52.6 

ii 

ii 

6.23 

24.20 


103 

52.6 

62.2 

it 

ti 

4.33 

29.05 


104 

62.2 

71.2 

ii 

it 

9.58 

29.92 

2 

105 

71.2 

76.0 

it 

ti 

7.54 

34.53 


106 

96.0 

81.5 

ii 

it 

8.20 

33.77 


107 

82.3 

87.0 

it 

it 

4.79 

13.31 


108 

87.0 

97.6 

n 

it 

4.05 

26.29 


109 

97.6 

109.0 

i» 

n 

5.38 

41.60 


110 

109.0 

123.0 

t# 

it 

13.40 

36.62 


111 

123.0 

147.0 

it 


26.44 

26.97 


112 

148.0 

163.0 

ti 

« 

10.39 

37.43 


113 

163.0 

176.5 

ii 

ii 

19.35 

33.64 



176.5 

180.0 porphyry sill 






180.0 

217.0 

brown gray shale 





217.0 

280.0 

blue-gray shale 





0.0 

25.0 

overburden 






25.0 

33.0 

limestone 





144 

33.0 

47.5 

decomposed limestone 

15.36 

36.77 


145 

47.5 

56.5 

ii 

it 

8.50 

37.38 

3 


56.5 

93.5 

low-grade carbonate 







ore 





146 

93.5 

121.5 

caved 123,5-158 

t.5 

4.46 

41.14 


147 

123.5 

198.0 

sulfide from 








158.0-179.6 


11.18 

33.75 



198.0 

330.0 

mica schist 





134 

0.0 

33.1 

decomposed 

limestone 

4.31 

40.57 

135 

33.1 

44« 5 

it 

ti 

6.53 

42.04 

136 

44.5 

7S.0 

it 

ii 

11.50 

37.86 

137 

72.0 

81.0 

ii 

ii 

10.59 

38.16 

138 

81.0 

101,0 

n 

n 

13.86 

37.62 

139 

101.0 

111.0 

ii 

it 

6.47 

41.71 

140 

111.0 

121.0 

n 

it 

22.68 

31.22 

141 

121.0 

136.0 

ii 

ti 

10.20 

38.32 

142 

136.0 

149.0 

ii 

it 

1.69 

42.31 

143 

lit: 8 

i§i:8 

ii 

mica shist 

ii 

3.26 

44.29 


4 










Depth in Feet 


Rock Type 


Percent 


Hole Sample 
No. No. 

From To 




0 

198.2 

limestone 



130 

198.2 

228.2 

decomposed limestone 

13.14 

26.29 

131 

228.0 

242.0 

»» it 

25.89 

25.56 

132 

242.0 

244.5 

ii ii 

46.55 

1.22 

133 

244.5 

261.3 

ii ii 

31.64 

5.69 


261.3 

297.0 

limestone 




297.0 

310.8 

shaley limestone 




310.8 

339.0 

mica schist 




CHAPTER SIX 
SHAHKUH MINE 

I ntroduction 

This mine, 22 km southwest of Esfahan, is reached 
by proceeding 10 km on the west branch c-f the Esfahan-Shah 
Reza highway and turning left; onto a dirt road just short 
of reaching the village of Abbas. The mine, consisting of 
two main workings, the Kolah-Darazeh and the Godeh-Zendan, 
is 12 km to the south. Both workings are situated in the 
southwest foothills of Shahkuh (King Mountain) a limestone 
range 18 km in length and 2500 m in maximum altitude. 

On Persian date Tir 4, 1331 (July 17, 1952), 
Exploration Permit No.19507 was issued to the Bama Company 
by the Ministry of Industry and Mines for a fifteen-year 
period for the exploration of the Shahkuh zinc-load deposits 












-45- 


Lat.or this pormit was extended for 25 years under Permit 
No.3594/9199, dated Bahmnn 9, 1334, (January 29, 1955) 
and effective Esfand 27, 1330 (March 18, 1951). 

The Bama Company, established in Esfahan on Mordad 
10, 1330 (August 1, 1951), is a closed corporation formed by 
a group of seven businessmen with main office at 57 Abbas - 
abad Avenue, Esfahan. Through the exercise of prudent man¬ 
agement and the careful control of ore quality the Company 
has maintained almost continuous operation since the start 
of commercial production in 1332. The rate of crude ore 
production has ranged from 50 to 150 tons daily, but, due 
to rejection of low-grade and waste in hand-sorting and 
calcining, the tonnages of productb actually sold are some¬ 
what less, as the following table shows: 


Year 

Tons o t Zinc Ore 

Tons of Lead 

1332 r 

1,650.8 


1333 

10,436.5 

4,434.5 

1334 

10,324.5 

2,139.6 

1335 

13,735.4 

2,772.6 

1336 

7,831.2 

3,364.8 

1337 

4,507.7 

1,920.0 

1338 

10,640.4 

396.9 

1339 £v> 

10,148.8 

331.7 

1340 to 

11,560.0 

691.1 

1341 0 

14,000.0 

500.0 


Total 94,835.3 

16,551.2 











The mine normally affords employment to about 300 
workers. Delsel-driven generators supply electric power 
for lighting, pumping and a small gravity concentrator. 

Water pumped from the mine is more than ample for mine 
plant and concentrator requirements. 

Geolog y: 

In the Shahkuh Range Cretaceous limestone rests 
unconformably on Jurassic shale. Refer to geologic sketch 
map of Shahkuh (King Mountain), Figure 6 . At the con¬ 

tact, or base of the limestone, a reddish brown layer ap¬ 
pears to have been particularly favourable for deposition 
of the zinc and lead minerals as well as some iron. The 
limestone beds dip 10 to 50 degrees west, becoming steeper 
near the limestone-shale contact at the west base of the 
mountain. At this contact rich mineralization in zinc and 
lead occurs along with siderite, ferruginous chert and clay 
in a NV/-SE trending fault zone. 

While zinc and lead deposition is most pronounced 
along the fault zone it is by no means confined to that 
area. Orebodies roughly conformable to the attitude of the 
limestone beds are being worked in areas as much as 250 
motors away. Such a deposit is the Godeh-Zendan, the source 
of much of Bama’s ore output in the past three years. This 
orebody has been mined to a thickness of twenty meters and 
to a depth of 70 meters on the pitch of the ore. All ore 




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-17- 


di3covered to date occurs in dolomite or limestone; none 
has been found in the shale, though it. i3 abundant in the 
clayey contact material. 

Smithsonite and cerussite are the dominant ore 
minerals from the surface to a transition zone between the 
40-and 65-meter levels, Hemimorphite And hydrozincite 
also occur in the oxidized zone. Sphalerite and galena 
appear on the 65-meter level about 80 meters south of the 
crosscut from the main shaft. 

Mine Development : 

More than 100 meters west of the ore zone and en¬ 
tirely in shale a 3-compartment vertical shaft extends from 
the surface at collar elevation of 1676.5 meters to a depth 
of 70 meters. At the 40-metor level a crosscut extends 
from the shaft 102 meters easterly to a point within the 
ore zone. Drifts extend northwest and southeast from the 
crosscut for distances of 150 and 250 meters, respectively. 
At irregular intervals crosscuts lead to the lateral 
limits of the ore. See map of Shahkuh Mine, Figure 7 

Also, at a depth of 65 meters in the shaft a 
crosscut extends eastward through 96 meters of shale and 
27 meters of ore. The ore to the southeast is exposed on 
the 65-meter level by 110 meters of drift. Short cross¬ 
cuts and parallel drifts reveal for a short distance the 




-48- 


the occurrence of two parallel ore shoots, one of carbonate 
minerals, the other of sulphide. 

Too numerous to describe are many exploratory ex¬ 
cavations, some of which are being used in the removal of 
ore from the mine. 

In the early life of the mine the bulk of the ore 
came from the Kolah-Darazeh open cut which now measures 
210 meters in length, 15 to 25 meters in width and 10 to 
15 meters in depth. This cut affords the viewer a clear 
exposure of many of the characteristics of the main 
deposit. 

As the large open cut, Godeh-Zandan, located 350 m 
to the north between elevations 1750 and 1800 meters, was 
being deepened haulage-ways on three different levels were 
cut through from the hillside surface, the combined length 
of which amounted to 190 meters of excavation. Sixty 
meters below the bottom of this open cut a 300-meter cross¬ 
cut extends to the surface. 

Mining : 

A large percentage of the ore mined to date has 
come from open cuts. The ore is drilled by jackhammers, 
blasted from benches, hand loaded into one-ton side-dump 
cars and hand trammed to sorting areas where low-grade 
material (less than 20 percent zinc) is rejected to a 
stockpile reserve. This reserve of broken low-grade ore 


































































































is estimated at 350,000 tons with a metal content of 18 
percent. 

Underground mining has been a modified room-and- 
pillar method in which the rooms are filled with surface 
talus that is admitted to the stopes through a glory hole. 
After each slice and removal of broken ore the room is 
filled sufficiently to provide a working floor for the ex¬ 
traction of the next slice from the stope roof. The 
method is wasteful of excellent ore because of the high 
percentate that must be left in the pillars, never to be 
recovered. The broken ore is placed in wheelbarrows, 
dumped in ore chutes, transferred to ore cars, trammed to 
the shaft station, unloaded, reshoveled into hoisting 
buckets, hoised to the Surface, dumped again into ore cars, 
trammed to a sorting area, sorted, shoveled into trucks, 
hauled to the calcining yard, dumped again,loaded into 
wheelbarrows and transferred to the kilns. In 1963 a pro¬ 
gram for the adoption of a more efficient mining method 
was suggested to the Baraa Company, and as of this writing, 
some steps in that direction are being introduced. 

Calcining : 

The sorted carbonate ores, carrying 30 to 40 per¬ 
cent zinc, are charged into circular olay-brick furnaces, of 
which there are eleven, each with a charge capacity of 50 



tons. Tho furnaces are oil-fired, the burning time being 
48 hours and the complete cycle time being 4 days. The 
calcined ore from one furnace weighs 30 to 35 tons and con¬ 
tains 45 to 55 percent zinc. The calcined ore is truck- 
hauled to Khorramshahr for transshipment to European 
smelters, or to Pahlavi on the Caspian seacoast for sale 
to Russian ore buyers. 

Exploration : 

The Shahkuh was one of the more promising zinc- 
lead mines selected for exploratory drilling by USAID/l 
and Ministry of Economy for the purpose of establishing 
factual ore-reserve information for use as a guide in 
judging the extent to which private investment and expan¬ 
sion of the industry might be warranted. 

The first drilling was started at the Shahkuh 
Mine late in November 1962. Selected positions and 
direction of drilling are shorn on the Plan Map of the 
Shahkuh Mine. In general, the drill holes were pointed 
east, or slightly north of east, and inclined 60 to 80 
degrees, so as to cut through the zone below the present 
Kolah-Darazeh workings. 

Hole No.l, however, was started 20 meters east 
of the north face of the 40-meter level drift and directed 
to the east, away from tho Kolah-Darazeh orebody at an 
80-degree dip. The purpose was to explore the area be- 



-51- 


twoen this Main Orebody and the Godeh-Zendan Orebody. 
Reference is made to the mine map and to the section 
through IDrill Hole No.l. The core logs of holes 
drilled at Shahkuh together with vertical sections are 
presented hereinafter. 

Hole No,2, located near the offset in the open 
cut of the Main Orebody, was pointed east, at -60 degrees 
so as to explore the zone below the offset cut. Only 3,2 
feet of ore appeared in 489 feet of coring. 

Hole No,3 was drilled as especially requested 
by Bama Company officials from a point near the mouth 
of the haulage cut leading to the open cut on the Main 
Orebody, and pointed N 85° K at -60 degrees. At 73 feet 
the drill passed from talus into shale and encountered 
no other rock to its full depth of 711 feet. 

Hole No,4 was started 40 meters west of the main 
fault zone and midway between the main shaft crosscut and 
the north end of the open cut. The hole was pointed east 
at 75 degrees in order to intercept possible ore 100 
meters vertically below the 65-meter level. Prior to 
reaching the main fault and at a hole depth of 70 meters 
the drill encountered high-grade fine-grained galena and 
sphalerite ore. In all, the drill penetrated 57.5 foet 
of such ore in a block of dolomite which appears to have 


dislodged by faulting from the large mass of limestone and 
dolomite east of the major fault. The similarity in 
vertical position and the lateral proximity of this ore to 
the sulphides encountered on the 65-meter level indicate 
an important ore occurrence extending a little above and 
several meters below the 65-meter level. 

Hole No.5 was also started 40 meters west of the 
fault zone and pointed N 85° E at -85 degrees so as to 
undercut the stoping areas on the 40-and 65-meter levels. 
Since the stoped width is as much as 23 meters in this 
area the position and direction of this hole was thought 
to afford maximum information, and possibly reveal the 
downward extend of the ore. On the contrary, the hole, 
with the exception of a few feet, remained in shale to its 
full depth of 602 feet. This indicates that below the work¬ 
ing levels the fault changes in direction of dip from west¬ 
erly to easterly. 

Hole No.6 collared at a point 32 meters west of 
the north end of the open cut and pointed east at -75 
degrees, also penetrated shale for its entire depth of 
698.6 feet. In order to investigate ore occurrences and 
rock typos in this area two other holes, Nos.9 and 11, 
were drilled within the vertical plane of Hole 6 and from 
the floor of the open cut. 


Hole No.7, positioned about midway of the open 


cut, was pointed N 73° E at 00 decrees In dip. This hole, 
as the log shows, encountered 16 ore seams, each separated 
from the other by various thicknesses of limestone. 

Hole No.8 was drilled to explore the area immedi¬ 
ately beyond the north limits of drifting on the 40-meter 
level. The hole was pointed east at 60-degree dip. Aside 
from a smattering of ore of the sulphide variety between 
depths of 130 and 132 feet no ore was encountered until the 
drill reached 204.3 feet where 7 feet of carbonate ore was 
penetrated. In the next 138.5 feet five thin seams of car¬ 
bonate ore, each separated from the next by barren lime¬ 
stone, were found. As shown by the log, only limestone 
was penetrated in advancing to the bottom at 568.6 feet. 

Hole No.9, nositioned as originally described in 
the paragraph on Hole 6, oointed east at -60 degrees. 
Fourteen ore occurrences, successively separated from each 
other by limestone, were encountered in drilling 356 feet. 

Hole No.10, collared at a point about midway be¬ 
tween the Godeh-Zendan Orebody and the north stoping area 
of the Kolah-Darazeh Orebody, was pointed S 50° E at -70 
degrees. Only limestone was encountered to the final 
depth of 283 feet. 

Hole No.11 was drilled vertically from the same 
drill station as Hole No.9, and revealed alternate ore 


-54- 


and limestone occurrences to a depth of 142.1 foot. Be¬ 
neath this point the drill encountered only shale to a 
final depth of 195.1 feet. As shown by the lop, 16 ore 
seams were penetrated, the thickest being 6.3 feet, the 
thinnest, 0.3 feet. 

Total drilling amounted to 5954 feet (1815 meters) 
and the total ore encountered was 231 feet (70 meters). 

Estimate of Reserves: 

Sulphide Ore : 

Hole 4, 7 and 9 indicate a limited sulphide horizon 
lying between elevations 1595 and 1620 meters. Drifting and 
crosscutting on the 65-meter level also revealed sulphides 
in this horizon at the 1610-meter elevation. Like the car¬ 
bonates, the ores in the sulphide horizon are by no means 
continuous vertically, but appear to occur in seams, or 
isolated bodies. The horizontal distance between Holes 4 
and 7 at this horizon is 190 meters. It is reasonable to 
assume that the "extent of influence" may be 30 meters be¬ 
yond each of these holes, and that the total length of this 
sulphide block may be 250 meters. The average thickness of 
sulphides, as indicated by the logs, is 7.9 meters. The 
only evidence of width is the crosscut on the 65-meter 
level where about 20 meters of sulphides are exposed. 

Since this width is also about average for the carbonate 







ores, it appoar3 as a reasonable assumption. These 
dimensions, 250 m x 7.9 m x 20 m represent 39,500 cu 
m of probable ore which, at a specific gravity of 3.3 
would weigh 130,000 metric tons. 

Carbonate Ore : 

The carbonate ores are somewhat more abundant. 
Considering the reserves Indicated by Holes 7, 9 and 11 
together with exposures in the underground working, one 
may calculate a continuous ore block 420 meters in 
length, 20 meters wide and 50 meters thick. Because of 
greater voids in the carbonate ores the gravity factor 
is taken as 3.0 only. Unmined reserves of this block 
would total, 420 m x 20 ra x 50 m, or 420,000 cu m, repre¬ 
senting 1,260,000 m t. About one-half of this reserve is 
exposed by stopes and the open cut to the full width and 
length, and by raises to its full thickness, so that it 
may be safely classified as proven ore : the balance is 
strongly Indicated . 

Outside of this block a considerable area ex¬ 
tends north and northeast where drill holes Nos.l and 
8 together with the large Godeh-Zandan open cut expose 
ore occurrences ranging in thickness from a fraction of 
a meter to 25 meters. The open cut, having been mined 
downward at about 30 degrees along the mineralized bed- 





ding for roughly 60 meters, has yielded excellent ship¬ 
ping ore, representing a large part of the total mine 
output in the past 4 years. Holes 1 and 8 show two ore- 
bearing horizons. 

Another open cut is situated 170 meters north of 
and in alignment with, the Main Orebody. The intervening 
zone and the area beyond have not been explored, but the 
continuation of ore along the fault zone is a strong pos¬ 
sibility. New workings at outlying exposures on the lime 
stone hillside east of the fault zone also indicate the 
occurrence of isolated bodies of good carbonate ore. 

Collectively, the Godeh-Zendan Orebody, the ex¬ 
tension of ore along the fault zone to the north, and 
the outlying deposit should be counted upon to yield a 
possible 500,000 tons of carbonate ore. 

Grade : 

In comparison to productive lead-zinc orebodies 
in other parts of the world the Shahkuh ranks high in 
quality. In 1962 the writer, accompanied by Engineer 
Fouladian of the Ministry of Economy, collected from the 
Shahkuh 50 channel samples at regular 10-meter intervals, 
mainly along the 40-meter level drift. Analyses of these 
samples showed an average grade of 38 percent combined 
zinc and lead. The numerical average of all drill core 




samples was 6 percent lead and 28 percent zinc. The core 
analyses would probably bo safely applicable in calculat¬ 
ing the metal content of reserves. Analysis by the U.S. 
Bureau of Mines of a grab sample of sulphide ore from the 
85-meter level showed the following results; 36.9 percent 
Zn; 4.6% Pb: 0.67% Cadmium; no silver and only a trace of 
gold. 

Conclusions : 

Core drilling revealed very little ore below the 
1595-meter elevation, or 80 meters below the shaft collar 
elevation. Admittedly, the drilling by the Ministry - US 
AID program was too limited to prove decisively the non¬ 
existence of major sulphide ore reserves of the order of 
magnitude of the carbonates, but Drill Holes 2, 7, 9 and 
11 show strong evidence that such sulphide bodies of that 
size do not exist below the open cut of the Main Workings. 
Also in the north area. Holes No.l and No.10 showed no 
galena and no sphalerite, wnile hole No.8 showed only 2.4 
feet of low-grade sulphide ore. 

The general pattern, as indicated by the drilling, 
is a series of thin orebodies, mostly of the carbonate 
type, separated one from the other by barren sediments, 
lying below and to the east of the Main Orebody. 

Exploratory drilling has shown evidence to sup¬ 
port a revised conception of the Main Fault structure. 



Formerly surface and underground exposures Indicated a 
normal westerly-dipping fault, the shale to the west 
having been downthrown with respect to the great mass of 
limestone to the east. Now, however, Drill Hole No.11 
shows that barren shale was encountered 45 meters directly 
below the floor of the open cut, and Drill Hole No.6 in the 
same vertical plane has penetrated this same shale for 
another 118 meters. None of the three holes. Nos.4, 5 or 
6 reached limestone after undercutting the orebody, yet, 
Holes 9 and 7 prove the presence of limestone east of the 
open cut to a depth of 140 meters below pit bottom. This 
at least is undeniable evidence that the shale-limestone 
contact changes direction in depth from a westerly to an 
easterly dip. Upper exposures show faulting at the con¬ 
tact; hence it is presumed that the fault has a vertical 
bend from west dip to east dip. 

This condition and the disclosures in drilling 
have placed limitations on the estimate of possible ore 
reserves. While the drilling has necessiated a retrench¬ 
ment from former ore-reserve estimates, the project has, 
on the other hand, confirmed former estimates of indicated 
reserves, and for the benefit of development planning, 
delineated the downward extent of the ore. 



Core Lofla 


-59- 


Hole 

Depth in Feet 

Rock Type 

Percent 

No. 

From To 


Pb Zn 



0.0 

4.4 

Limestone 





4.4 

4.7 

It 


0.25 

Gi 

O 


4.7 

40.0 

»t 





40.0 

42.3 

Carbonate 

ore 

3.18 

17.76 


42.3 

44.7 

Limestone 





44.7 

45.0 

Carbonate 

ore 

1,94 

8.51 


45.0 

46.1 

Limestone 





46.1 

49.4 

Carbonate 

ore 

2.73 

19.50 


49.4 

51.4 

n 

it 

1,03 

8.50 


51.4 

56.7 

Limestone 





56.7 

59.4 

Carbonate 

ore 

1.50 

6.76 


59,4 

60.9 

Limestone 




1 

60.9 

63.2 

Carbonate 

ore 

9.15 

17.29 


63.2 

64.5 

ti 

ti 

9.87 

35.63 


64.5 

65.6 

Limestone 





65.6 

66.6 

Carbonate 

ore 

14.27 

12.10 


66.6 

85.4 

Limestone 





85.4 

87.3 

Carbonate 

ore 

2.20 

18.15 


87.3 

190.1 

Limestone 





190.1 

192.0 

Carbonate 

ore 

2.98 

12.88 


192.0 

196.7 

Limestone 





196.7 

200.0 

Carbonate 

ore 

3.23 

18.08 


200.0 

203.3 

ii 

it 

1.24 

41.51 


203.3 

207.1 

it 

n 

1.50 

41.05 


209.1 

499.0 

Limestone 






0 

152.0 

Limestone 




152.0 

153.5 

Carbonate ore 

1.95 

2.35 

2 

153.5 

185.8 

Limestone 




185.8 

187.5 

Carbonate ore 

6.42 

4.38 


3 


0 

73.0 


73.0 

711.0 


Talus 

Black shale 













-00 


Hole 

Depth in Feet 

Hock Type 

Percent 

No. 

From To 


Pb Zn 


0 

124.0 

talus 




124.0 

226.5 

grey shale 



226.5 

228.0 

sulphide 

ore 

8.10 

15.72 

228.0 

231.6 

it 

5.21 

42.62 

231.6 

235.0 

ii 

n 

1.90 

33.11 

235,0 

238.6 

m 

it 

10.42 

28.58 

238.6 

242.0 

ii 

ii 

5.14 

28.37 

242.0 

245.0 

ii 

it 

5.17 

25.10 

245.0 

248.3 

ii 

it 

9.80 

39.18 

248.3 

252.0 

it 

ii 

12.77 

22.80 

252.0 

256.0 

it 

ii 

14.15 

25.48 

4 256.0 

260.0 

dolomite 




260.0 

262.0 

sulphide 

ore 

6.27 

7.42 

262.0 

273.0 

dolmite 




273.0 

275.0 

Sulphide 

ore 

7.87 

25.23 

275.0 

276.0 

dolomite 




276.0 

280.0 

sulphide 

ore 

7.27 

36,77 

280.0 

283.2 

ii 

n 

10.56 

17.50 

283.2 

286.0 

n 

it 

13.03 

27.29 

286,0 

289.2 

dolomite 




298.2 

292.0 

sulphide 

ore 

6,67 

37.03 

292.0 

293.2 

dolomite 




293.2 

295.9 

sulphide 

ore 

3.37 

33.93 

295.9 

297.0 

dolomite 




297.0 

301.5 

sulphide 

ore 

3.19 

20.96 



0 

99.0 

talus 


99.0 

210.0 

grey fc black shale 


210.0 

218.5 

gouge and shale 


218.5 

222.5 

limestone 


222.5 

294.0 

black shale 


294.0 

299.0 

fractured shale 


299.0 

329.0 

black shale 

vj/ pyrito 


329,0 

330.0 

dolomite 

5 

330.0 

451.0 

black shale 


451.0 

457.0 

dol.w/specks 
of sulphide 


457.0 

462.0 

broken dolomite 
w/blk. shale 


462.0 

510.0 

black shale 


510.0 

512.0 

dol. w/trace of 
sulphide 


512.0 

602.0 

shale w/traces of dol. 










-61- 


Hole 

Depth 

in Feet 

Rock Type 

Percent 

No. 

From 

To 


Pb Zn 

6 

0 

80.0 

215.0 

80.0 

215.0 

598.6 

talus 

brown shale 
black shale 




0 

1.5 

limestone 






1.5 

5.0 

carbonate 

ore 


0,09 

27.93 


5.0 

8.0 

carbonate 

ore 


0,13 

34.o4 


8.0 

9.0 

limestone 






9.0 

11.0 

carbonate 

ore 


3.26 

28.13 


11.0 

13.7 

carbonate 

ore 


0,06 

8.51 


13.7 

18.7 

»» 

it 


4.62 

34.06 


18.7 

23.0 

It 

M 


8.60 

23.19 


23.0 

25.0 

ft 

It 


28.66 

26.01 


25.0 

27.0 

Limestone 





27.0 

27.6 

carbonate 

ore 


0.06 

39.65 


27.6 

30.0 

limestone 






30.0 

35.0 

carbonate 

ore 


7.49 

43.48 


35.0 

37.5 

ft 

»i 


21.76 

32.49 

37.5 

39.3 

limestone 






39.3 

40.8 

carbonate 

ore 


8.34 

29.73 


40.8 

41.6 

limestone 





7 

41.6 

43. 3 

carbonate 

ore 


10.10 

39.18 


43,3 

50. 9 

limestone 






50.9 

59.9 

carbonate 

ore 


2.67 

47.37 


59.0 

95.0 

limestone 






95.0 

96.0 

carbonate 

ore 


31.99 

19.32 


96.0 

124.0 

limestone 






124.0 

128.0 

carbonate 

ore 


19.28 

30.27 


128.0 

129.0 

limestone 






129.0 

130.0 

carbonate 

ore 


3.58 

32.30 


130.0 

157.0 

limestone 






157.0 

157.2 

carbonate 

8c silicate 

0.71 

7.72 


157.2 

165.8 

limestone 






165.8 

170.8 

carb. 8e sulph. 

ore 

2.86 

15.36 


170.8 

206.5 

limestone 






206.5 

208.0 

carb, 8c sulph. 

ore 

28.34 

24.06 


208.0 

219.0 

limestone 






219.0 

219.6 

sulphide ore 


19,06 

16.86 


219.6 

274.5 

limestone 






274.5 

275.5 

carbonate 

ore 


0.06 

40.76 


275.5 

281,0 

limestone 






281.0 

281.8 

sulphide ore 


1.07 

16.95 


281.8 

496.8 

limestone 


















- 62 - 


Hole 

Depth in Feet 

Rock Type 

Percent 


No. 

From To 


Pb 

Zn 


0 

46.5 

tains 



46.5 

62.5 

grey shale 



62.5 

67.5 

black shale 



67.5 

97.0 

grey shale 



97,0 

101.0 

black shale 



101.0 

130.0 

black shale (broken) 



130.0 

132.0 

sulphides (low grade) 

nil 

7.32 

132.0 

151.0 

very soft gougey shale 


151.0 

173.0 

broken grey shale 



173.0 

196.0 

black shale 



196.0 

203.3 

grey shale 



203.3 

204.3 

broken brown gouge 



204.3 

212.0 

carbonate ore 

nil 

17.15 

8 212,0 

232,5 

broken Is. w/specks 





of znS 



232.5 

234.5 

carbonate ore 

nil 

37.07 

243.5 

257,0 

limestone 



257.0 

258.0 

carbonate ore 

10.52 

44.79 

258.0 

266.6 

limestone 



266.6 

269.0 

sulphide ore 

0.23 

17,99 

267.0 

295.0 

limestone 



295.0 

295.4 

carbonate ore 

1,59 

19,65 

295.4 

349.0 

limestone 



249.0 

350.5 

carbonate ore 

2,64 

40.87 

350,5 

357.0 

limestone 



357,0 

359.6 

carbonate ore 

4.46 

24,58 

359.6 

568.6 

limestone 





0 

2.0 

limestone 





2.0 

2.5 

carbonate 

ore 

11.50 

29.62 


2.5 

5.2 

limestone 





5.2 

8.3 

carbonate 

ore 

7.78 

35.45 


8.3 

24.0 

limestone 




9 

24.0 

28.0 

carbonate 

ore 

0.29 

17.02 

28,0 

32.0 

n 

m 

1.01 

32,55 


32,0 

34.5 

limestone 





34,5 

35,2 

carbonate 

ore 

nil 

47.74 


35.2 

36.2 

limestone 





36.2 

37.2 

carbonate 

ore 

3,28 

34.09 


37,2 

39.2 

carbonate 

ore 

4.66 

32.72 


39.2 

45.8 

limestone 





45.8 

46,2 

carb. & sulph. ore 

9.45 

38,41 


46.2 

83,0 

limestone 










- 63 - 


Dopth In Poet Percent 


Hole _ Rock Typo 


No. 

From 

To 



Pb 

Zn 


83.0 

83.7 

carbonate ore 


0.52 

33.45 


83.7 

109.0 

limestone 





109.0 

110.0 

carbonate ore 


0.98 

28.66 


110.0 

118.0 

limestone 





118.0 

119.5 

carbonate ore 


8.79 

36.96 


119.5 

137.0 

limestone 




9 

137.0 

138.2 

sulphide ft carb. 

ore 

13.45 

37.69 

(contd.) 

138.2 

214.4 

limestone 





214.4 

216.6 

sulphide ore 


4.26 

22.27 


216.6 

226.0 

limestone 





226.0 

229.0 

sulphide ft carb. 

ore 

4.00 

35.83 


229.0 

277.0 

limestone 





277.0 

277.3 

sulphide ore 


nil 

16.04 


277.3 

279.5 

limest one 





279.5 

286.0 

sulphide ft carb. 

ore 

1.50 

19.40 


286.0 

356.0 

limestone 




10 

0 

283.0 

limestone 






0 

0.4 

1imestone 





0.4 

1.2 

carbonate ore 


9.18 

02 

O 

to 

to 


1.2 

1.7 

limestone 





1.7 

2.9 

carbonate ore 


4.00 

38.31 


2.9 

6.5 

limestone 





6.5 

9.0 

carbonate ore 


nil 

27.96 


9.0 

13.0 

limestone 





13.0 

14.8 

carbonate ore 


8.40 

40.51 


14.8 

18.7 

limestone 




11 

18.7 

19.0 

carbonate ore 


8.40 

40.51 


19.0 

19.7 

limestone 





19.7 

21,4 

carbonate ore 


4.13 

37.97 


21.4 

25.5 

limestone 





25.5 

27.0 

carb. ft sulphide 

ore 

4.92 

37.25 


27.0 

28.0 

limest one 





28.0 

32.0 

carb. ft sulphide 

ore 

16.77 

26.47 


32.0 

32.8 

limest one 





32.8 

38,8 

carb. ft sulphide 

ore 

16.01 

34.33 


38.8 

60.5 

limestone 

















Hole 

No. 


11 

(contd.) 


Depth in Feet 


Rock Type 


Percent 


Form 

To 


Pb 

Zn 

60.5 

63.3 

carb. & sulphide ore 

nil 

25.64 

63.3 

65.5 

limestone 



65.5 

65.7 

carb. & sulphide ore 

nil 

39.32 

65.7 

68.3 

limestone 



68.3 

69.3 

carbonate ore 

0.65 

25.56 

69.3 

70.8 

limestone 



70.8 

71.5 

carbonate ore 

12,14 

45.09 

71.5 

83.0 

limestone 



83.0 

84.2 

carbonate ore 

nil 

12.31 

84.2 

103.5 

limestone 



103.5 

105.0 

carbonate ore 

nil 

42.58 

105.0 

131.7 

limestone 



131. 7 

138.0 

silicate ore 

nil 

43.38 

138.0 

139.0 

limestone 



139.0 

140.0 

silicate ore 

nil 

27.57 

140.0 

142.1 

limeston e 



142.1 

195.1 

3hale 
















































































































1663,2 


^nansi 






1641.7 


I wsf 




LEgEKD 

H TALUS 


IH shale 




LIMESTONE 

CARBONATE ORE 

SULPHIDE ORE 


6.10 


SECTION THRU O.H. No.5 SHAHKUH MINE 

M .Ur. i- '.° *° 5 ,° 40 *° M«h,r 


T.+.TQ 1//Q/Q3 U 



























V 


ft 83.7 



w/fsre fill 


L635.4 4Q-m L£V£L 


1610,4 65-m LFl/£L 


LEGEND 


TALUS 


SH ALE 

limestone 

|§i§! CARBONATE ORE 


SULPHIDE ORE 


SECTION THRU D.H. No. 4 SHAHKUH MINE 


40 60 Meter v 


16. II 


/8rT0 7/eS/63 s g 
























































































































/ € 62,2 


Y 



SECTION THRU D.H. No. 5 SHAHKUH MINE 

M.t.r* ' 0_ * 10 y <j° « ° M«t«rs 

12 // 7//vfc* f j 












































































































































































































LEGEND 





TALUS 

SHALE 

LIMESTONE 

CARBONATE ORE 

SULPHIDE ORE 


SECTION THRU D.H. No. 7 SHAHKUH MINE 




MG. 14 


T.U.O. 





























































































































SHALE 

LIMESTONE 

CARBONATE ORE 

SULPHIDE ORE 



SECTION THRU D.H. No. 8 SHAHKU H MINE 




IG.I5 


TUIX s/ZS/as st 




























































-65- 


CHAPTER SEVEN 

THE KUCHKE MINE 

Introduction ; 

The Kuchke Mine is situated In the southern part 
of Isfahan Ostan 125 km east of Yazd and 40 km by road north¬ 
east of the village of Bafgh. The mine may be reached from 
Yazd with motor vehicle by proceeding southeast over 120 km 
of unimproved dirt road to Bafgh, thence 40 km northeast to 
Kuchke. Ungraded and undrained, the entire road, nonetheless 
is passable the year round. The village of Kuchke is in an 
elevated valley at about 2200 meters above sea level. The 
mine is on the north side of the valley near the foot of a 
group of moderately low hills arranged in a general NW-SE 
alignment. 

The climate, influenced by moderately high alti¬ 
tude and rare precipation, is typical of the desert, pleas¬ 
ant in summer but cold in winter, and especially cold dur¬ 
ing the hours of darkness. Inhabitants of the area depend 
for their fuel almost entirely on scrub brush back-packed 
from across the mountain by donkeys or by humans. Water in 
the area is mostly brackish. The only electric power is 
that produced by the Kuchke Mine's 30-kw engine-generator 
set. 

Tho mine has been worked since 1957 by Simiran 




Company (Sherkat Sahami Sanati va Maadani Irani ), 560 
Saadi Avenue, Tehran, under Exploration Permit 23571/2004, 
valid for 20 years from Persian date of issue, 18/12/1336 
(1957). Worked by roughly 150 employees, the mine yields 
about 7500 tons annually of zinc-lead ore containing 50 
percent combined metals. A small gravity concentrator, 
used to upgrade hand-sorted reject, accounts for about 
1500 tons of lead concentrate annually. During the past 
three years special emphasis has been directed to explor¬ 
ation in the vicinity of the Zardu Shaft. 

A year apo the Rio Tinto Zinc Corporation formed 
an agreement with S'imiran Company to further explore and 
investigate the deposit from the standpoint of reserves 
and amenability to ore beneficlation, reserving the option 
after two years to participate in the exploitation of the 
orebody. During the ensuing twelve months Rio Tinto 
geologists and engineers carried out a program of detailed 
geologic mapping, underground exploration and sampling. 

Supplementing the exploration by Rio Tinto and 
Simiran Companies, a core-drilling program, jointly sup¬ 
ported by USAID/l, the Ministry of Economy and the mining 
companies themselves, has been instrumental during this 
same 12-month period in establishing an impressive increase 
in indicated ore reserves. This activity, designed in part 


-67- 


as a training program in diamond drilling, and therefore, 
retarded by inexperienced drill operators, has explored 
at Kuchke a mineralized zone about 150 meters southwest 
oT the principal mine workings. The Kuchke is the third 
mine at which core drilling was undertaken under the 
Economic Minerals Survey Project, a program designed to 
determine the investment potentials in Iran’s mineral 
resources. 

Geology : 

The oldest rocks of the region consist of a series 
of thin-bedded sandstones, conglomerates, black shales, grey 
shales, dolomites, volcanic lavas and tuffs. Ultrabasic3, 
mostly represented by serpentinitic masses, comprise a oart 
of the whole complex. In general, the stratigraphic se¬ 
quence is made complex by the presence of folds, faults, 
troughs, swells and the Interbedding of volcanics with sedi¬ 
ments. This series, possibly of Devonian age, is overlain, 
perhaps due in part to overthrust, by a younger formation 
consisting of limestone and dolomite. 

Locally the zinc-lead mineralization occurs in 
the black shale, and commonly, but not always, directly 
below a thin band of volcanic ash. Drill hole logs show 
the mineralization maintaining a bedded pattern and a gener¬ 
al consistency In stratigraphic position. Note the drill- 



-68- 


hole projections to longitudinal section A-A, on map of 
Kuchko Mine Pig. 16 . Portions of the mineralized zone, 

up to 13 meters in thickness, are too low in zinc and 
lead to be classed as ore. In places the ore occurs in 
one band, in others, three or four bands, separated from 
each other by low-grade material. The ore bands, display¬ 
ing pinch-and-swell characteristics, range from 3 to 20 
meters in thickness. 

The ore is highly pyritic and extremely fine¬ 
grained. In general, the sphalerite is sooty, and by 
visual inspection, difficult to distinguish from the black 
shale. When handled this powdery substance adheres to the 
skin as tenaciously as paint, and is not easily removed by 
soap and water. If a fair amount of galena is present the 
ore is readily distinguishable from barren shale by its 
specific gravity. In places, particularly in the Pahnu 
workings to the northwest, chalcopyrlte is present in small 
amount. In hardness the ore ranges from the extremely 
friable, soft velvet-like material to the very durable and 
brittle massive pyrite. 

The environment and physical characteristics of 
the Kuchke ores strongly suggest sedimentary emplacement. 
They are not associated with fractures or breccia, and 
they do not occur in disseminated coarse blebs such as the 












































- 69 - 


hydrothormal replacement deposits of load and zinc character¬ 
istically display. In general, the Kuchko ores show little 
evidence of crystal growth. They indicate, rather, a very 
intimate mixing of microscopic metallic mineral particles 
with those of a black mud, or ooze, before compaction. A 
highly sulphurous environment, suggested by the abundance 
of pyrite, may have been produced by sub-marine exhalatives 
from minor fumaroles, active before, or at the time of 
deposition. The amorphous appearance of the shale-mineral 
mixture suggests, as well, the environment of a stagnant 
3sa trough, or cut-off lake. A series of minor exhalations, 
possibly occurring over an extended period of time, may have 
introduced the metal ions into an unconsolidated mud which, 
by subsequent compaction, formed the ores as they now exist. 

Stagnant troughs of this type are known to be rich 
in bacteria, and it is also known that, the bacteria are the 
agents by which pyrite is being formed in such places even 
today. Furthermore, scientific research has demonstrated 
the process of upgrading certain ores by bacterial assimi¬ 
lation and precipitation. The lead and zinc sulphides at 
Kuchke may have been directly collected by the bacteria, 
but whether the ore-forming process was biogonetic or dir¬ 
ectly exhalativo, or both, the deposition by any of these 
methods would be syngonotic and sedimentary. 


- 70 - 


Mlno Qovolopmont : 

Tho ores at Kuchke have bean explored and mined 
In limited amount from three principal workings, namely, 
the Kuchke at the southeastern extremity, the Zardu in the 
central part and the Pahnu near the northwostorn end of 
tne mineralized block. 

The Kuchke, the original workingj was reopened 
by Rimiran Company in 1957, and small shipments of lead- 
zinc ore wore made therefrom during the next three years. 
Those workings are entered by way of a 55-m inclined 
shaft which is equipped with track for winching ore cars 
to tho surface. From the bottom of the incline a NE- 
trending drift extends 120 meter i along a band of ore dip¬ 
ping about 25 degrees NV and ranging from 0.2 m to 1.0 m 
In thickness. Ore has been extracted from winzes on the 
northwest side and from overhead stopes on the southeast 
side of this drift. Since this ore band is aligned almost 
normal to the strike of the main orebody developed by the 
Zardu workings, and is believed to occupy a higher 
stratigraphic position, the e v act relation between this 
and the Zardu orebody is hard to determine. 

The Zardu workings are entered through a vorti¬ 
cal 2-compartment 65-m shaft, one compartment being used 
for ore hoisting by bucket, the other for use as a manway 
and for pipe installation. Crosscuts from the shaft have 




71 



Sorting and sacking ore at the 
Zardu shaft area 



The old Kuchke Mine workings 









72 



Living quarters in 1962 



Living quarters in I 96 I 4 . 









- 73 - 


been driven on two levels, one at 40 meters bolow the shaft 
collar and the other at 64 metor3. At the 40-m level the 
crosscut intercepts the ore at 20 meters southwest of the 
shaft, whereas, due to the southwesterly dip of the strata 
and ore, the 64-m crosscut intercepts ore 32 meters from 
the shaft. The orebody has been explored on the 40-m 
level 80 meters from the crosscut by a southeasterly drift 
and 170 meters by a northwesterly drift as shown on the 
main mine map. On the 65-m level two drifts, recently 
advanced by Rio Tinto exploration, extend 110 and 157 
meters, respectively, southwest and northwest of the cross¬ 
cut. Rio Tinto has also extended the main crosscut to 150 
meters from the shaft. Crosscutting and stoping from the 
64-m drifts indicate in places an ore thickness of 25 
meters, or more. 

The Pahnu workings are entered through a 2-com¬ 
partment vertical shaft which is similar in arrangement to 
Zardu shaft except that it is lacking in guides and powered 
winch for ore hoisting. The Pahnu is developed on only one 
level 32 meters below shaft collar. The Pahnu's shaft col¬ 
lar elevation is 2246.6 meters above sea level and that of 
the Zardu is 2219.0 meters. A southeasterly trending drift 
extends 120 meters from the shaft bottom and is branched in 
the last 50 meters, where it intercepts the ore. 


- 74 - 


The area hag boon explored also by leas significant 
shallow shafts and opon cuts which add little to the general 
knowledge of the orebody. One is an exploratory shaft 145 
meters wost ot' the Pahnu shaft; another Is the original 
shaft at the Zardu orebody 70 meters southeast of the pres¬ 
ent main service shaft. 

Exploratory Drilling : 

Core drilling under the US AID-Ministry of Economy 
project at Kuchko started in late October 1965 and ended in 
October 1964. Twelve holes were drilled at strategically 
selected drill sites to depths ranging from 230 feet to 650 
feet, with an aggregate of 5460 feet (1662 meters). All 
drill hole locations are shown on the Mine Map, and rock 
types are illustrated by cross-section sketches, figures 
17-26. 

Hole No.l, 305 meters west of Zardu shaft, was 
drilled N 60° E at a 60-degree inclination to a total 
depth of 467.2 feet (142.4 meters). Starting at elevation 
2213.9 meters, the drill first passed through 78 feet of 
volcanics and 207 feet of grey shale. Then, after 54 feet 
of black shale, highly pyritic ore appeared at 339 feet. 

Ore continued to a depth of 412.5 feet, below which alter¬ 
nate layers of black shale and volcanic ash were encountered. 

Hole No,2, 85 meters west-southwest of Pahnu shaft, 
was started at elevation 2244.5 meters and drilled vertically 



LEGEND 


PHII 

V*_EL 2ai3,t) 

WL 

n%,/// i\i 



SHALE 

SHALE- 6RECCIA 

VOLCANICS 

LOW 6RADE MATERIAL 
PYRITE-GALENA-SPHALERITE 


SECTION THROUGH O.Hs.18,4 
KUCHKE MINE 

M.t.r. » ? “ »• »• « » M.t.fJ 

d-R — 


IG.I7 


IO/l9/«^ 
C P Pg 


s.e> 




































































































































































2 


o 

¥ 


2244.5 


22 / 9.4 
2713.8 



L E G ENO 


g SHALE 




30 &K 
HI l=E 


5En 


EH 


rzt 


PYRITE 


SPHALERITE-GALENA 


SHALEY LIMESTONE 




SECTION THROUGH D.H.2AND3 
KUCHKE MINE 

M«Ur« 10 0 10 a .° 30 40 ?° 


FIG. 18 


io/as/44^ 













































































LE GEND 

DOLOMITE 

BLACK SHALE 

VOLCANICS 

SPHALERITE * GALENA 

LOW-GRADE MATERIAL 



SECTION THROUGH D.H.5 
KUCHKE MINE 

Met«rs _ o >° 3° 4o g o H«,t e rs 





































" 


2/3 7.6 


2 / 79.6 


203 / -7 


2 0 73.9 


2 062.0 


y 


so 





2 089 / 

206 4 -. 9 


AVAVA, .. . v 
VAVA IIVAVAy 


Kv/vv 'IavTCvA 





AVAVA 

VAVAV 

AVAVA 

VAVAV 

AVAVAV 


LEGEND 

LIMESTONE 

SHALE 

VOLCANOS 

PYRITE -CATENA-SPHALERITE 


SECTION THROUGH D.H.6 
KUCHKE MINE 

M«teri _» 20 i0 \° MeNrj 


FIG.20 


\0/l o/(C4 ^ 












































































2222,0 0M 


2/2S.O 
2//7.0 


2/0 +.2 
2092.€ 



LEGEND 

SHALEY LIMESTONE 

SHALE 

VOLCAN1CS 

HEAVY PYRITE 

WITH SPHALERITE %c GALENA 


SECTION THROUGH D.H.7 
KUCHKE MINE 


Moter* 


to o to no 30 

— i I * ■ 


» ° Metot-s 


FIG.21 


< 0 / 16 / 64 - 

c.p.a e. 


$.6 





























































































































22 09 7 


2 <98.0 


2/5A2 
2/87. 7 

—3pp» ;: *'... 

2/84-7 




2/750 

7/12.0 

- <ggm 



LEGEND 


DOLOMITE 



DOLOMITE w/lNTERBEDDEP 
BRECCIA fr VOtCANICS 


2/16.7 


nv;j 


SHALE 



BRECCIA 


Y0LCANIC5 


riHC-LEAD ORC W/PYRITE 


SUB-MARGINAL MATERIAL 
HIGHLY PYRITIC 


2036.5 


igP^ 


KUCHKE MINE 

SECTION THROUGH DRILLHOLE 8A 

10 2 .° 30 40 !j0 M «t«rs 


M.ters 


FIG. 22 


10/2 0 / 6 * 
COPE SB 

































































































2227.0 


LEG END 




limestone 


SHALE 


VOLCANIC ASH 


LOW 6RADE MATERIAL 


KUCHKE MINE 

SECTION THROUGH DRILL HOLE 9 

Meter* 10 f \° y *•<> M«t«rs 


S.S. 


FIG. 23 


10/23/6 + 
CO PE 
































































2Z/6S 








i£6EUD 


LIMESTONE 


SHALE 


VWAV 

« V0LCANIC5 



SUB MARGINAL 

ptritic MATERIAL 


ZINC- LEAD ORE 


KUCHKE MINE 
SECTION THROUGH O.H.No.lO 


Meiers 'j,,,, ? _ 3 f 4 , e * ° Meters 


S.R. 


FIG. 24 


IO/S/64 

C.O. P. E . 












































El-2/93.2 


2I94-.5 


2145.0 


2/22.5 



M 

■*4h/i 



2079.0 


2050 0 


-ss^fe 

tfsrisij! 

$&$!&$ 


LEG BMP 


mm 

HI 


h&wl 


shale 

VOLCANtCS 


KUCHKE MINE 
SECTION THROUGH D.H.Nall 

M.t.ri "> ° " to to « so H <Ur> 


FIG. 25 










































EL 2/99,3 


V. 




.LEGEND 



77Tv7w 

EE voucanics 


il 


dolomite 


SHALE 


MINERALIZED SHALE 
HIGHLY PYRITIC 


208 £ <0 


W# 5 - 


20 74.0 



KUCHKE MIME 

SECTION THROUGH D.H.No.I2 


Metere 10 0 10 »» «» Meters 


10/ IS/ft 

co.pn 


FIG.26 



























































































































- 75 - 


to a aepth of 296 feet, (90 meters). After 83 feet of grey 
shale and 18 feet of black shale the drill penetrated 
pyrltic ore and continued In ore to a hole depth of 190 
feet. The balance of the core showed alternate layers of 
black shale, volcanic ash and limestone. 

Hole No.3 was started at the same site as Hole 
No.2, but was drilled west at a 60-degree inclination to a 
depth of 231.5 feet, (73.6 meters). After passing through 
84.5 feet of calcareous shale the drill penetrated 32 feet 
of submarginal mineralized material which gave way to mill- 
grade ore to a hole depth of 220 feet. Below this was 
volcanic ash and calcareous shale. 

Hole No.4 was started at the same site as Hole 
No.1 and drilled at 85° to a depth of 350.7 feet, (100 meters). 
Due to an excess of gouge and brecciated material encoun¬ 
tered in a fault zone the drilling became progressively more 
difficult and was abandoned without reaching ore* 

Hole No.5, 150 meters south-southeast of the Zardu 
shaft, was started at elevation 2205.9 meters and drilled 
vertically to a temporary depth of 213 feet. The first 94 
feet was in limestone, which was followed by alternate 
layers of volcanic ash, grey shale and low-grade mineralized 
material. The lowermost evidence of sphalerite was at 177 
feet, hence drilling stopped at 213 feet. However, subsequent 
drilling and geologic study indicated the possibility of ore 


at greater depth. Drilling was resumed in October 1964 and 
coring was continued with disappointing results to depth of 
470 feet. 

Hole No.6, 240 meter3 south of Zardu shaft, wa3 
started at elevation 2197.6 meters, and drilled vertically 
to a full depth of 446 feet (136 meters). The drill pene¬ 
trated alternate beds of black shale and thin layers of 
volcanic ash to a depth of 387.4 feet where 18 feet of ore 
was followed again by black shale for the balance of the 
hole. 

Hole No.7, from a point 360 meters west-north- 
west of the Zardu shaft, was drilled in a northerly direc¬ 
tion at an inclination of 60 degrees to a full depth of 
490 feet (150 meters). After passing through 242 feet of 
shaley limestone and 50 feet of grey shale the drill en¬ 
tered black shale at 293 feet and then ore at 367.4 feet. 
Aside from two barren intervals of 4 feet and 5.5 feet, 
respectively, the ore continued to 397.5 feet in the hole. 
Beyond that depth black shale, dolomite and volcanic ash 
predominated. 

Hole No.8, 257 meters southwest of the Zardu 
shaft was drilled to 320 feet and then given up because of 
a non-recoverable broken bit .and core barrel. Hole No.8A 
was drilled at the same site in a N 60° E direction at a 


minus 60-degree dip from elevation 2208.7 motors. The drill 
passed through 43.5 feet of volcanics, 224.5 foot of breccia 
and arain 83.5 feet of volcanlca before reaching black shale. 
After penetrating 58,5 feet of the black shale the drill went 
Into low-grade material for 35 feet, then mill-grade ore for 
30 feet, again low-grade material for 40 feet and again ore for 
25 feet. Beyond this point the drill penetrated alternate 
layers of dolomite and volcanics to a depth of 651.0 feet 
(198.5 meters). 

Drill Hole No.9 was started at the same site as 
Hole No.7 and drilled N 60° E at minus 60 degrees. Core 
from this hole showed the usual sequence of limestone, grey 
shale, volcanics and black shale to a final depth of 406.7 
feet (124 meters). Between depths of 285 and 330 feet three 
occurrences of low-grade materials with a combined thickness 
of 27 feet were encountered. 

Drill Hole No.10, 280 meters west-southwest of the 
Zardu shaft, was drilled N 60° E at minus 60 degrees from 
elevation 2216.9 meters. After Denetrating 210 feet of lime¬ 
stone and 113 feet of grey shale the drill encountered 30 
feet of low-grade material, then 60 feet of mill-grade ore, 
then 40 feet of low-grade material, 10 feet of mill-grade 
ore, another 20 feet of low-grade material, and again 35 
feet of mill-grade ore. This wac followed by 3 feet of 
volcanic ash,9 feet of black shale and a final 10 feet of 


-73- 

mll1-grade ore. The hole was bottomed at 539.6 feet 
(164.5 meters). 

Hole No.11, 340 meters west-southwest of the Zardu 
shaft was drilled vertically in search of a further exten¬ 
sion of the orebody. Hero the shales and volcanic tuffs 
dip sharply (more than 45 degrees) south-southwest. The 
hole was drilled to 416.2 feet (127 meters; without en¬ 
countered ore, and had to be abandoned because of exception¬ 
ally bad fracturing. 

Hole No.12, 275 meters southwest of the Zardu 
shaft was drilled N 60° E at minus 6^ degrees from eleva¬ 
tion 2199.8 to a total depth of 582.0 feet. This hole 
showed seven layers of volcanic, each succeeded by dolomite, 
usually fractured, before reaching massive pyrite at 460 
feet. Eleven feet of pvrltlc material was followed by 
another succession of dolomite, and at 506.1 feet of depth 
a 31-foot thickness of black shale was penetrated. This 
was followed by two more successions of dolomite and vol- 
canics, and finally, a 20-foot thickness of black shale. 

The hole was bottomed in black shale at 582 feet (177.4 
meters). 

In addition, the Rio Tinto Corporation has com¬ 
pleted several hundred feet of underground core drilling 
and confirmed in detail the ore indicated by surface 
drillinf. 


Pro Reserves: 


A general agreement exists among all who have 
examined the Kuchke deposit in recent months that the ore 
encountered in Drill Holes 1, 10 and 8A is a continuation 
down-dip of the ore exposed underground at the Zardu 
workings. It is also generally believed that advancing 
southwest from the Zardu working there is a gradual easing 
of the attitude of the sediments and ore, and that the dip 
of bedding where these holes penetrate the ore is about 30 
degrees or less. Drill Holes 1 and 10 are, then about 
normal to the inclination of the ore beds, whereas, Drill 
Hole 8A is not aligned exactly normal to the full dip of 
the bedding. Allowance for projection to the normal is 
necessary in considering the true ore thickness in Drill 
Hole 8A. The 3-hole average in ore thickness is 24.4 
meters. The ore mineralization shown in those three drill 
holes together with that exposed in the Zardu workings in¬ 
dicate an ore block with assumed parallel top and bottom 
planes, two rectangular parallel ends and two roughly 
parallel sides with concave shape. Thickness and grade of 
ore of Hole 1 are assumed to govern to a line midway be¬ 
tween Holes 1 and 9, and that of Hole 8A to govern to a 
line midway between Holes 8A and 12. This forms a block 
286 meters long, 150 meters wide and 24.4 meters thick, 



- 00 - 


representing© volume of 1,046,760 cubic meters and, at 
specific gravity of 6.4, a mass of 3,560,000 metric tons. 
The average grade, calculated on the basis of weighted 
average, with only 6 2/3 percent of total weight attri¬ 
buted to the Zardu channel samples, was found to be 2.9 
percent lead and 10.1 percent zinc. Sample analyses are 
shown In the accompanying log tables, 

A second block, having the shape of a trigonal 
prism includes at the upper apex the Zardu workings, at 
the lower left, or southwest apex the Drill Holes 2 and 3, 
and at the lower right, or southeast aoex Drill No. 7. The 
average thickness shown by the included drill holes is 16,6 
meters. The base length is 390 meters, and one-half the 
altitude is 82 meters. The volume is 300 x 82 x 16.6 
meters, or 530,868 cubic meters, reoresenting a probable 
ore weight of 1,800,000 metric tons. The average grade 
is estimated to be 2.3 percent lead and 10.7 percent zinc. 

A third block, represented by Drill Holes 5 and 6 
and the old Kuchke Mine workings is not well defined, and 
exploration to date has not indicated sufficient ore to ap¬ 
preciably contribute to the estimated reserves. 

Total indicated and probable ore reserves are, 
therefore, estimated at 5,360,000 metric tons containing 
13 percent combined zinc and lead. 


" 01 - 


Drill hole logs accompanying this report show the 
grade and thickness of ore encountered. Five percent in 
combined metals is the cut-off point between sub-marginal 
material and ore. Five of the 27 samples collected from 
the 64-moter level wore analized for cadmium, and respec¬ 
tively, showed the following percentages: 

0.14, 0.96, 0.34, 0.33, and 0.15. 

Recommendations : 

The Kuchke orebody is delineated on the northeast 
by outcrops near Zardu shaft and on the southeast by the 
old Kuchke Mine workings. On the southwest the ore is pro¬ 
bably displaced by a major fault, and may possibly be found 
southwest of the fault by drilling to a depth considerably 
greater than that reached in Drill Hole 11. Further explor¬ 
ation northwest of Drill Holes 2 and 3 is highly recommended, 
since, in this area, no stru 2 tural feature is definitely 
known to cut off the ore. 

More intensive exploration within the known ore- 
body is warranted for the purpose of obtaining detailed 
information regarding the shape and attitude of the ore to 
serve as a guide in planning exploration. 

Outside the Kuchke orebody evidence of lean and 
zinc mineralization is known a few kilometers northwest at 
the Chaghaz prospect. Galena har, also been found a few 



- 82 - 


kilometers southeast of the Kuchke orebody just south of 
the Kuchke-Rafgh road, In gravels near the bottom of 
ghanats. Detailed geologic mapping and core drilling, if 
indicated, are recommended in these areas. In fact the 
entire Kuchke area is dotted with a smattering of small 
ferruginous outcrops. If nothing else, these indicate a 
metallogenetic environment, and some may possibly be the 
surface manifestations of otherwise hidden orebodies. The 
area, in general, Is a promising field for both geologic 
and geophysical study. 

The Kuchke orebody is largo enough and of ade¬ 
quate grade to warrant moderate to large-scale exploita¬ 
tion, possibly In the crude-oro-production range of 500 
to 1000 tpd. It is readily obvious that, because of the 
extreme fineness in grain size, special attention must be 
given to fine grinding. Also the production of a clean 
bulk concentrate involving a heavy rejection of pyrite is 
highly important in an area of high transportation costs. 


Dril l hogs - K onchko Mine; 


Hole 

Depth in Feet 

Hock Type 

Percent 

No. 

From To 

Pb Zn 




0.0 

1.0 

volcanics 




1.0 

31.0 





31.0 

108.5 

volcanlcs 




108.5 

173.0 

yellow-brown ahale 




173.0 

285.0 

grey ahale 




285.0 

339,0 

black shale 




339.0 

361.5 

heavy pyrlte 

nil 

3.66 


351.5 

361.5 

sulfide ore 

6.01 

24.88 

L 

361.5 

369.0 

it ti 

3.27 

19,47 


369.0 

377.0 

it it 

21.31 

20.39 


377.0 

385.0 

basic silicates 

1.76 

2.58 


385.0 

395.0 

» it 

nil 

5.65 


395.0 

405.5 

sulfide ore 

20.92 

25.58 


405,5 

412.5 

n ii 

10.39 

15.03 


412.5 

440.0 

black shal e 




440.0 

447.7 

porphyry 




447.7 

464.2 

black ahale 




464.2 

467.2 

porphyry 




0.0 

83.0 

grey, brown ^ yellow 

shale 



83.0 

101.0 

black shale 




101,0 

112.5 

heavy pyrite 

0.2 

5.78 


112.5 

122.5 

ti n 

0.2 

6.30 


122.5 

132.5 


3.59 

25.23 


132.5 

142.5 


nil 

2.61 


142.5 

152.5 


6.93 

10.34 


152.5 

162.5 


6.14 

16.35 


162.5 

172.5 


2.68 

8.54 

2. 

172.5 

182.0 


3.27 

17.56 


182.0 

190.0 


6.47 

16.00 


190.0 

210.0 

black shale 




210,0 

214.5 

poropyry 




214.5 

249.5 

black shale 




249.5 

257.5 

porphyry 




257.5 

296.0 

lime steak 




3 


0,0 

84.5 

93.0 


84.5 

93,0 

95.0 


Calcaroua ahale 
very low grade 
grey ahale 


3.86 nil 










-84 


Hole 

No. 

Depth 

In Feet 

Rack Type 

Percent 

From 

To 

Pb 

Zn 


95.0 

111.0 


3.00 

nil 


111.0 

116.5 

high pyrite 

0.85 

tt 


116.5 

125.0 

hard and fine grained 

nil 

9.00 


125.0 

136.0 

ore 

1.11 

10.15 


136.0 

147.5 

u 

3.14 

16.70 


147.5 

159.0 

»» 

3.27 

9.94 


159.0 

170.0 

tt 

0.50 

4.85 


170.0 

182.0 

tt 

3.27 

15.48 

3 

182.0 

185.0 


2.94 

9.66 


185.0 

187.0 

shale 




187.0 

201.0 


1.57 

3.66 


201.0 

210.0 


1.11 

5.55 


210,0 

220.0 


2.16 

7.51 


220.0 

222.0 

porphyry 




222.0 

226.7 


0,72 

0.89 


226.7 

228.0 

porphyry 




228.0 

231.5 

calcareous shale - or 






shaley limestone 




0 

140.0 

Is 




140 

146.0 

volcanics 



4 

146 

242.5 

dolomite 




242.5 

330.7 

grey shale 




0.0 

75.0 

limestone 




75.0 

90.0 

Is w/ironoxide 




90.0 

94.0 

tt it 

nil 

0.46 


94.0 

96.0 

/olcanics 




96.0 

107.0 


tt 

5.47 


107.0 

116.0 


tt 

nil 


116.0 

117,5 

volcanics 



5 

117.5 

118.5 

shale 




118.5 

134.0 


ti 

2.42 


134.0 

143.0 


tt 

3.45 


143.0 

144.0 

shal e 




144.0 

152.0 


tt 

0.29 


152.0 

156,0 

grey shale 




156.0 

157,5 

volcanics 














-85 


Hole 

Depth In Feet 

Rock Type 

Percent 

No. 

From To 


Pb Zn 



157.5 

172.5 


nil 

2.85 


172.5 

177.0 


nil 

6.49 

5 

177.0 

193.0 

dolomite 



contd. 

193.0 

207.0 

volcanics 




207.0 

350.0 

dolomite 




350.0 

460.5 

volcanics 





0 

112.0 

limestone 



112.0 

181.0 

blk shale w/calcite & gyp. 



181.0 

188.5 

volcanic ash 



188.5 

258.5 

black shale w/cal. & gyp. 



258.5 

266.6 

volcanic ash 



266.6 

355.0 

black shale w/cal. & gyp. 


6 

355.9 

360.5 

volcanic ash 



369.5 

380.0 

black shcle w/cal. ft. gyp. 



380.0 

387.4 

volcanic ash 



387.4 

406.6 

ore 1.97 

4.51 


406.6 

445.0 

shale 



0 

242.0 

shaley Is. w/gouge 



242.0 

244.0 

grey shale 



244.0 

246.0 

volcanics 



246.0 

268.5 

grey shale 



268.5 

293.0 

gouge of grey * black shale 



293.0 

367.4 

black shale 



367.4 

373.4 

ore 1.97 

4.15 

7 

373.4 

377.5 

black shale 



377.5 

383.0 

ore - heavy pyrite 2.68 

2.74 


383.0 

388.5 

" " " nil 

nil 


388.5 

397.5 

it n t» 7.43 

18.73 


397.5 

402.4 

" low 0.10 

0.93 


402.4 

443.6 

black shale 



443.6 

450.1 

volcanic ash 



450.1 

481.4 

dolomite 



481.4 

484.0 

black shale 



484 . 0 

487.0 

volcanic ash 



487.0 

490.0 

dolomite 














Hole 

Depth In Feet 

Rock Type 

Percent 

No. 

From To 


Pb Zn 



0 

43.5 

volcanics 





43.5 

268.0 

breccia 





268,0 

351.5 

volcanics 





351.5 

410,0 

blk. shale 





410.0 

420.0 

tt »» 


nil 

0.95 


420.0 

425.0 

pyrite In dol. 

tt 

2.15 


425.0 

430.0 

ti tt 

tt 

tt 

2,65 


430.0 

435.0 

tt tt 

tt 

tt 

3.95 


435.0 

440.0 

tt tt 

it 

0.11 

2.85 


440.0 

445.0 

it tt 

tt 

nil 

1.65 


445.0 

450.0 

tt tt 

it 

tt 

1.35 


450.0 

455.0 

tt tt 

t» 

0.10 

6.55 


455.0 

469.0 

it tt 

tt 

0.13 

9.65 


460.0 

465.0 

tt tt 

tt 

0.15 

7.35 


465.0 

470.0 

tt »t 

tt 

0.20 

8.45 


470.0 

475.0 

tt tt 

tr 

nil 

1.50 


475.0 

480.0 

tt tt 

tt 

0.15 

11.45 

8A 

480,0 

485.0 

it tt 

tt 

nil 

0,45 


485,0 

490.0 

tt « 

tt 

tt 

1.95 


490.0 

495.0 

tt tt 

tt 

w 

1.10 


495.0 

500.0 

dolomite 


ft 

nil 


500.0 

505.0 

dolomite 


ft 

2.45 


505.0 

510.0 

tt 


tt It 

3.60 


510.0 

515.0 

blk. shale 


tt 

2.25 


515.0 

520.0 

pyrite bol. 


tt 

0.65 


520.0 

525.0 

pyrite 


0.15 

8.10 


525.0 

535.0 

dolomite 


0.17 

2.45 


535.0 

540.0 

pyr11 e 


2.84 

15,45 


540.0 

545,0 

tt 


3.83 

13.00 


545.0 

550.0 

dolomite 


nil 

1.95 


550. 

552,4 






552.4 

557.8 

volcanics 





557.8 

561.0 

blk. shale 





561.0 

611.0 

dolomite 





611.0 

628.3 

volcanics 





628.3 

632,2 

recrystallisod 






carbonate 

of lime 




632.2 

651.0 

volcanics 











Hole 

No. 


Depth In Feet 


Rock Typo 


Percent 


From 

To 


Pb 

Zn 

0 

18 

no core 



18 

101 

limestone 



101 

107 

caved -fault 



107 

134 

limestone 



134 

166 

grey shale 



166 

206 

volcanics - 





hematite - sh. 



206 

230 

serpentine 



230 

251.2 

grey shale 



251.2 

285.5 

black shale 



9 285.5 

298.5 

ore 

none 

0.9 

298.5 

310.0 

black shale 



310.0 

315.0 

ore 

none 

1.4 

315.0 

320.0 

black shale 



320.0 

329.5 

ore 

none 

4.8 

329.5 

367.0 

black shale 



367.0 

374.0 

volcanic ash 



374.0 

382.0 

black shale 



382.0 

386.8 

volcanic ash 



386.8 

406.7 

black shale 





0 

210 

limestone 





210 

323 

grey shale 





323 

333 

ore 

) 

none 

7.3 


333 

343 

ore 

) shaley 

IT 

2.4 


343 

353 

ore 

) 


1.7 


353 

363 

ore 

) 

0.5 

5.9 


363 

373 

ore 

i 

none 

15.9 


373 

383 

ore 

) 

it 

10.8 


383 

393 

ore 

) 

it 

7.2 


393 

403 

ore 

) pyrite 

0.2 

7.7 

10 

403 

413 

ore 

) 

1.2 

3.9 


413 

423 

ore 

) 

none 

2.4 


423 

433 

ore 

) 

tr 

0.3 


433 

443 

ore 

) 

it 

0.46 


443 

453 

ore 

) 

tt 

0.2 


453 

463 

ore 

) 

0.9 

9.5 


463 

473 

ore 

) 

none 

0.9 


473 

483 

ore 

) shaley 

it 

2.7 














- 88 - 


Hole 

Depth in Feet 

Rock Type 

Percent 

No. 

From To 


Pb Zn 


483 

493 

ora 

) 

none 

5.8 

493 

503 

ore 

) shaley 

ti 

5.3 

503 

518 

ore 

) 

2.2 

16.6 

518 

521 

volcanic 

ash 



521 

529.6 

black shale 



529.6 

539.6 



none 

11.2 



0 

12. 

shale 


12 

14.5 

volcanics 


14.5 

17.0 

shale 


17.0 

41.0 

volcanics 


41.0 

120.0 

black shale 


120.0 

120.8 

volcanics 


120.8 

150.0 

black shale 


150.0 

161.4 

volcanics 


161.4 

190.5 

black shale 

11 

190.5 

249.0 

volcanics 


249.0 

250.0 

black shale 


250.0 

255.5 

volcanics 


255.5 

257.6 

calcitic gouge 


257.6 

272.2 

shaley gouge 


272.2 

343.7 

black shale and tuff bands 


343.7 

395.0 

tuff 


395.0 

397.8 

shale and tuff 


397.8 

404.8 

bblack shale 


404.8 

416.2 

fractured tuff 


0 

96.0 

volcanics 


96.0 

123.7 

bedded volcanics 




w/dolomite bands 


123.7 

126.0 

dk grey dolomite 


126.C 

141.0 

fractured volcanics 

12 

141.0 

172.0 

braceia 


172.0 

200.6 

fractured dolomite 


200.6 

203.6 

volcanics 


203.6 

244.0 

fractured dolomite 


244.0 

248.0 

volcanic (bedded) 


248.0 

267.0 

fractured and 


silicified dolomite 











• 89 ~ 


Hole 

No. 

Depth in Feet 

Rock Type 

Percont 

From 

To 



267.0 

268.8 

volcanics 



268.8 

288.0 

fragmental silicified 





dolomite 



288.0 

294.6 

fragmental volcanics 



294.6 

359.3 

fractured siliclfied 





dolomite 



359.3 

377.2 

carbonaceous shales 



377.2 

436.0 

volcanics 



436.0 

460.0 

dark grey dolomite 


12 

460.0 

471.0 

massive pyrite and 


contd« 



pyrite shale 



471.0 

480.5 

dark grey dolomite 



480.5 

491.0 

volcanics 



491.0 

506.1 

shaley dolomite 



506.1 

537.0 

black shale 



537.0 

541.5 

dolomite 



541.5 

547.3 

volcanics 



547.3 

552.0 

dolomite 



552.0 

562.0 

volcanics 



562.0 

582.0 

bluck shale 









- 90 - 


CHAPTER EIGHT 
O ZBAK KUH LEAD MINE 

Introductio n: 

The Ozbak Kuh mine Is situated 220 km south of 
Sabsavar and 200 km north of Tabaz, in the northwest foot¬ 
hills of Ozbak Kuh range which separates the groat Kavir 
from Kavir-e-Namak. An unpaved road leads from Ozbak Kuh 
village, a settlement of about 400 families, to Sabsavar 
and 40 km beyond to Sabsavar Station on the Tehran-Meshad 
Railway line. 

The mine is operated by Societe Maden Loute 
with main office at 12 Vazirl Street, Pahlavi Avenue, 
Tehran. The Company manager is Eeradoon Zahedi, whose 
father 13 years ago, working under severe hardships of 
this arid region, opened the mine and placed it on a 
producing basis. At that time there were no roads and 
no fresh water in the area. Even today, the water is 
hauled to camp by truck from a deep well 15 Ian away. 

Production since 1957 from the Ozbak Kuh dis¬ 
trict amounts to more than 38,000 tons of 60-peroent 
lead ore, most of which came from the Ozbak Kuh mine 
proper. 

The mines and a concentrating plant afford 
employment to *50 workers. Electric power, developed 




- 91 - 


at 380 v 50 cy for the plant operation, In dorived from 
generators driven by three 8-cyllndor diesel engines of 
120-KW capacity each. 

Geology : 

The Ozbak Kuh range, composed in the main of 
Paleozoic rocks, comprises essentially two sub-ranges: 

(1) a 45-km central range with 3W-NE alignment, and (2) 
a secondary range with a strike length of 30 km in a 
WSW-EFE direction. The Ozbak Kuh mine is situated in a 
highly-faulted section of the latter range. 

The ore deposit occurs in one of the lenticular 
rock bodies which are enclosed by numerous faults of the 
area. Figures 27 and 28, reproduced from maps by 
Friederich and Ruttner, illustrate the geology of the 
area. The rock mass in which the Ozbak Kuh deposit occurs 
consists of bluish grey p ahram (tipper Devonian) limestone 
underlain by dark and light grey Zlbsar dolomite. A 
gypsum bed adjoins the dolomite on the southeast, and 
gypsum occurs profusely as a fracture filling in the 
dolomite. Bodies of violet-colored andesite lie between 
the steeply dipping dolomite beds, and adjacent to major 
faults. 

Fine-grained galena also occurs as a fracture¬ 
filling in an aniongated zone of black dolomite and 
ankorite. The mineralized zone, limited on either side 



-92- 


by barren walls of dolomite, forms a vein-like orebody 0,5 
meter to 4.0 meters thick and 250 meter3 long. The deposit 
is in fact, a network of voinlets formed by galena-filled 
fractures with limited amounts of replacement galena at the 
edge of the fractures. A small amount of sphalerite occurs 
with the galena. The orebody has been worked to a depth of 
280 meters below which the dolomite is cut off by a thrust 
piano. 

Both premineral and post-mineral faults are in 
considerable abundance. Several cross-sectional sketches, 
prepared by the Company staff, show notable variations in 
the attitude of the orebody in advancing from one end to 
the other. The general dip is about 80°NW, but in places 
it is vertical and even reversed in inclination to the SE. 
Presumably premineral folding controlled the general at¬ 
titude, but subsequent thrusts normal to the major fold 
developed a complexity of fault systems that influenced 
the vertical and longitudinal variations in trend. 

Obviously, sharp off-sets and abrupt breaks in ore con¬ 
tinuity are attributable to post-mineral faults, which are 
plainly evident at many places in the stopes. In most 
cases, displacement horizontally normal to the ore trend 
appears to be not more than two or three meters, and may 
bo only a few centimeters. Major faults trend N-S and 


THE ENVIRONS OF THE OZBAK-KUH 

GEOLOGICAL MAP 
According to O.Friedrich and A.Ruttner 









































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































MM N 























































































are later than tho andesites, but the major fault pianos, 
in turn, aro displaced by younger faults. Vein width 
averages ij- meters. Broken ore as it comes from the mine 
is estimated by the management to contain 12 percent lead 
and 1 percent zinc on the average. 

Mining: 

The present method of stoping is by the cut-and- 
fill method. After the ore is broken from the back of the 
stope to a height of about three meters it is transferred 
by wheel barrows to concrete-lined ore passes from which 
it is drawn into ore cars and trammed to the shaft. The 
ore is dumped into a shaft pocket and hoisted in a li-T- 
capacity ore bucket through a single hoisting compartment 
by a one-meter diameter single-drum electric hoist. At 
the surface it is dumped into side dump ore cars and 
trammed to the sorting shed. 

The stope, having been stripped of its broken 
ore, is filled with waste rock from development workings 
to within 1-| meters of the newly exposed back. Then about 
30 cm of sand is laid on top of the waste, thus forming a 
working floor and a marker betwoen waste and the next 
layer of broken ore. 

Since the work Involved in stope-filling is 
expensive and time consuming, the adaption of a method oi 



-94- 


shrinkage stoping was considered In lieu of cut-and-fill. 
Because of financial limitations and uncertainty of market 
contracts, the management, however, has not been able to 
afford such a sizable backlog of broken ore in the stopes. 
The mine produces daily about 100 metric tons of crude ore 

Compressed air is supplied to the mine by two 
Atlas Copco portable compressors and one single-stage 
diesel-driven stationary compressor, each with a capacity 
of 7 cu ra/min. A 14-cu m/mln stationary compressor is 
held ready for stand-by service. 

The inflow of mine water, which contains about 
9 grams of salt per liter, has dropped remarkably as rain¬ 
ing has progressed from the 125-m level down to the 250-m 
level. While operations were confined to the former the 
pumps delivered 2000 cu m per day; now, with operations 
directed from the 250-m level, the pumping load is only 
about 160 cu ra daily. 

The mine is opened by two 2-compartment shafts. 
The No.2, or main shaft, now reaches to the 300-m level. 

A third shaft is being excavated very close to the vein, 
and will extend to the 300-m level. An underground hoist¬ 
ing station and an adit crosscut at the same level as No.2 
shaft collar are being excavated. 


- 95 - 


Concentratlng : 

Hand sorting produces about 11 tpd of 63-percent 
lead ore. The reject is crushed and screened. Three pro¬ 
ducts, a plus 10-mm size, a minus 10-mm plus 3-mm size, and 
a minus 3-mm size are derived from the screens. The largest 
and smallest sizes go to the gravity-flotation mill while 
the intermediate size goes to hand-operated jigs near the 
sorting area. There are four such jigs which together 
produce about 2 tons daily of 62-to 63-per cent lead con¬ 
centrate. The jig reject, ranging from 20 to 30 tpd of 
3-percent lead ore, also goes to the concentrator. 

The concentrator flowsheet is as follows: 



- 96 - 


Run-of-Mine Ore 
Jaw Crusherl (Primary) 
Jaw Crusher j(Secondary) 
Pino Oro Bin 
Feeder 


Fresh Water 


Rod Mill (1.2m diam. x 2-m length) 
Spiral Classifier 

i 


Coarsejsands 
Elevator 
Screen 


Overflow 


Coarsel 

Fine 

i 



Pump j HydxuDeone 


Spigots 12345 

* H Lj - 

Tablea 1 S 3 

T 


Cone Mitis Tabling 


2 i tpd 
-4—Pump-^— 


Thickener 

T~-'- J 


O.F. 


Tailing 

Pond 


Wa T ate 


u;f. 

Conditioner 

Flotition 


Wasxe 


Gone, 

2^ tpd 

Waste 


Mill 


'Tailing 

Tailing Pond 

vlaate 


Water 































- 97 - 


Tha table and flotation concentrates collec 

tlvoly amount to 5 tpd containing 60 percent load. The 

total lead rooovered from 100 tons of 12 percent crude 

dally Is accounted for as: 

11 tons of sorted ore @ 63# = 6.93 tons Pb 

2 tons of Jig concentrate ® 62# ■ 1.24 tons Pb 

2& tons of table concentrate @ 60# ® 1.5 tons Pb 

tons of flotation concentrate @ 60# * 1.5 tons Pb 

Total lead recovered dally ■ 11.17 tons p b 

Total input daily » 12.00 tons Pb 

Overall recovery ■ 11.17 or 93# 

—TZ 

A small amount of the daily crude ore comes from 
the Geradu Mine, also under concession to the Minak Company. 



98- 


CHAPTER NINE 
THE ZAHBAD MINE 


Introduction ; 

The Zahbad la another Important mine now being 
worked by the Mlnak Mining Company, a slater organiza¬ 
tion of Soclete Maaden Loute. It la situated in the 
Elburz Mountains of Gilan Oatan on both banka of a 
tributary stream of the Sefidrud, The mine la reached 
with motor vehicle by proceeding from Ghazvin 52 km 
northwest on the Ghazvin-Resht highway to Juzbashlchai, 
then by mountain road 21 km to Zahbad village. 

The Zahbad mine, by reason of Its remote situa¬ 
tion has presented many obstacles in operation, but the 
Mlnak Company, one of Iran’s more aggressive mining 
organizations under the able direction of Manager 
Feradoon Zahedi, has performed an outstanding achieve¬ 
ment in mine development. All equipment, including 
engines, compressors, rock drills, ore cars, rails and 
pipe were brought over the mountain by mule-back before 
the last 21 km of road was built. A concentrator was 
erected after the completion of the access road In 1961, 
but most of the exploratory exoavation on the two veins, 
Zahbad and Ghore-Django, was accomplished during the pro¬ 
ceeding five years. These excavations have proven a strong 
vein of zinc-lead ore at Ghore-DJango and even greater 




99- 


raserve In the rich Zahbad vain. 

At present the mine affords employment to 190 
worker3, and yields roughly 55 tone of crude ore daily 
from which about 9 tons are recovered after sorting and 
concentrating. 

Geology ; 

Two parallel vein deposits at Zahbad typify the 
class of orebodies developed by fissure-filling processes. 
The Zahbad and Ghore-DJango occur in a rhyolite mass of 
which certain parts are darkened by the presence of iron 
minerals. 

The Zahbad has an irregular NW-SS alignment and a 
very steep dip to tha southwest. This vein shows strong 
mineralization for the greater part of the 560 meters over 
which it has been longitudinally explored underground; its 
mineralization has been traced also for several kilometers 
on the surface. The vein has been developed on three 
levels at 30-meter intervals, and has shown no general 
weakening in mineral composition as development progresses, 
downward. Like other ore deposits of the fissure-vein 
type this one pinches and swells in thickness. In the 
swells the ore shows one-half to two and one-half meters 
of thickness for several tens of meters longitudinally. 
These lenses of ore feather out to zero thickness and give 
way to barren sections only to reappear further along the 



- 100 - 


drift. In the mineralized sections 30-cm-wide bands of 
massive galena bordered by intense aphalerlte-galena 
mineralization occur at closely spaced intervals. Copper, 

In considerable less abundanoe, occurs as chalcopyrite. 

Oangue minerals are chiefly caloite, quartz, feldspar and 
pyrite. 

About 500 meters downstream the Ghore-Django has 
a similar trend and a vertical dip. The vein character¬ 
istics, as revealed by 530 meters of drifting, are similar 
to those of Zahbad vein except that mineralization Is weaker. 

The degree of pre-mineral fracturing and breccia- 
tion at these deposits has strongly Influenced the extent 
and intensity of mineral emplacement. At Zahbad one finds 
the evidence of early fracturing, shearing and granulation 
in the form of fissures and inter-granule spaces which af¬ 
forded passage of zinc-and-lead-bearing solutions. In 
places the resulting vein divides and Joins again enclosing 
"horses* of rhyolite. The Zahbad ores are coarse-grained, 
and exhibit characteristic mineral bands and layered 
crustations, indicating successive stages of fissure-vein 
development. The sulphide ore minerals are sharply 
delimited against the walls, but in most parts a thin band 
of vein quartz adheres tenaciously to the rhyolite wall rock. 

Three conditions are considered favourable for down¬ 
ward continuation of the Zahbad ore vein to somewhat greater 


- 101 - 


dapths. First Is the unchanging strength of minerallzatlon 
from surface to the lowest workings* At 90 meters below the 
surface we detect no significant increase In pyrlte such as 
the "roots" of deposits of hydrothermal origin normally dis¬ 
play. Second Is the mere attitude of the Zahbad vein oc¬ 
cupying, as it does, a prominent near-vertical fracture In 
a moderately firm rock. The third favorable feature Is the 
longitudinal extent, as it has been generally observed that 
long well-developed fissure veins yield ore minerals to 
greater depths than do short weak ones. 

A feature favorable to the exploitation of the 
Zahbad ore is the large grain size which permits jig 
separation of the ooarae fractions. Even for bulk flota¬ 
tion of this ore extra fine grinding is not. essential. 

The average grade of ore extracted from all work¬ 
ing places in both veins Is 4^ percent £b, 6^ percent Zn 
and 0*3 percent Cu, 

Mine Development r 

The Zahba>d< mine is opened by two adits from an 
east-facing mountain side. These adits are 30 meters 
vertically apart and lead to the upper and Intermediate 
working levels which have been developed longitudinally 
400 meters and 660 meters,, respectively. A third level, 

30 meters below the intermediate levels has been developed 
250 meters, which, in part, undercuts the north-flowing 



- 102 - 


atream. Three winzes connect the intermediate with the 
third, or lowest level. A fourth winze has been excavated 
on the vein at a point 40 meters beyond the west face of 
the third-level drift. Since, at the bottom of the winze, 
a few meters of drilling along the vein reveal ore, the 
third-level drift is being advanced in that direction. 

The Ohore-DJango vein has been explored by drift¬ 
ing in a southeasterly direction 830 meters from portal to 
face. One hundred fifty meters of this lower drift reveal 
no ore. About 350 meters from the portal a N-S fault off¬ 
sets the vein to the west. From this point the drift bears 
more truly southeast along what appears to be a branch vein. 
Ore appears on the northeast side of the drift about two 
meters from the main vein and indicates a possible continua¬ 
tion of the main vein in the normal S75°E direction. The 
mineralized portion of the Ghore-Dlango vein ranges in width 
from a few centimeters to two meters and is estimated to 
average 0.8 m. Thirty meters vertically above the lower 
level the vein is also explored by a 400-meter drift. 
Mineralization here is somewhat weaker than that of the 
lower working. No development or exploitation is being 
done at this time at Ohore-DJango. 

Mining : 

Ore la being extracted by out-and-fill stoping at 
three places above the Intermediate level. The broken ore 



- 103 - 


la transferred by whoelbnrrowe to ore pesse 3 which discharge 
through chutoa to ore cars on the intermediate level. One 
of the stopes exposes two parallel veins separated by a two- 
meter thickness of barren rock. The fill rock la extracted 
from the walls and non-mineralissed portions of the vein. 

The ore is loaded into V-body mine cars of 0.6-cu m-capacity, 
and trammed to a sorting area near the portal. 

The ore and waste from the third level is hoisted 
by electric winch to the intermediate level in an ore bucket 
suspended beneath a crosshead. 

Two small impeller-type pumps deliver water from 
the third to the intermediate level along which it flows by 
gravity to the portal. 

Benefication : 

Out of an average daily mine production of 55 
metric tons of crude ore 5 tons are rejected as waste by 
hand sorting. The balance is reloaded into ore cars and 
elevated over an inclined tram by means of a powered winch 
to a jaw crusher which discharges into a 200-ton-capacity 
ore bin. Ore feeders beneath the bin deliver the crushed 
ore to two 4» x 3' ball mills, each operating as a separate 
unit in closed circuit with a spiral classifier, the over¬ 
size rake-back material of each classifier returning 
directly to the feed end of the ball mill. The overflows 
from both classifiers flow to a conditioner whore the 



-104- 


xanthate and a frothing reagent, along with lime, are added 
and mixed with the pulp. The conditioned pulp, consisting 
of ground ore and water In the ratio of about 25% to 75^ 
respectively, passes to tho flotation section where two machines 
of ton cells each operate In sories to produce roughly 9 tons 
daily of bulk concentrate containing 2.5% lead, 30 % zinc, 
copper, 3 oz/T of silver and 0.83 oz/T of gold. The concentrate 
is mechanically filtered to about 12 percent moisture, and 
receives some sun drying before it is exported to a zinc-lead 
smelting plant at Avonmouth, f3ngland. 

A cone crusher is being added for secondary crushing. 

The management anticipates an increase in mill capacity of 
25tpd with this installation. Also another complete milling 
unit of 100-tpd caoaclty is being procured, and will be in¬ 
stalled as a parallel concentrator to the existing mill. Thus 
the new plant, when in operation, will bring the milling 
capacity to 175 tnd, 

Electric power for the present mill operation is developed 


by a 120-kw diesel engine-generator unit. 


FLOWSHEET 

A T 

ZAHBAD MILL 




r~ 


Cx 





dt 


TAILINGS TO WASTE 


a - JAW CRUSHER 
b - ORE BIN 

C-Ca-BAILMILLS 
didl- CLASSIFIERS 
t\ €a- CONDITIONERS 
f.-fi- FLOTATION MACHINES 
q - FILTER. 


9 / 4/65 


SB. 






























































































-los- 


CHAPTER TEN 
NAKLAK MINE 

Naklak, one of the old mines of Iran, Is one of 
the only two nationally-operated load mines. For a number 
of years prior to 1951 (Persian Year 1329) a private oper¬ 
ating concession was held by a Mr. Sadrleh, but a year 
later the permit expired and the Iranian Government took 
possession. During Mosidek's premiership the mine was 
placed under Army control. Later, operation of the mine 
became the responsibility of the Mining Department of Plan 
Organization, Mr. Halaviati is at present the resident 
Managing Director, and Mr. Beferud is the Deputy Director. 

Naklak Mine is 60 km by desert road northeast of 
Anarak, a village In the heart of the oldest and, for years, 
the most active mining district of Iran. The mine shaft 
collar is 960 meters above sea level. The mountains behind 
it are roughly 200 meters higher. Approximately 500 em¬ 
ployees are on the mine and plant payroll, and practically 
all of them with their families, live in government-built 
houses at the mine camp. Water is pumped from the mine at 
the rate of 8 cu m per hour, more than enough for domestic 
use, concentration plant, power, garden irrigation and all 
other camp uses. 



106 



General View of Naklak Mining Camp 



Water from Naklak Mine at 8 cu m/hr 















- 107 - 



Engineer Beferud describes from wall 
map principal workings of Naklak Mine 



Belt-driven Single-drum hoist in use 
at Main (No.3) Shaft at Naklak 





-100 


Geology : 

Tho country rock in the vicinity of Naklak is 
dominantly limestone, though some conglomerates and shales 
are exposed near the mine area. Underground on the 85- 
meter level more than 50 meters of barren conglomerate 
have been exposed by a N-S crosscut. Strangely, no con¬ 
glomerate was encountered in relative positions on the 
125 and 137-m levels although the strata dip steenly. 

Lead mineralization appears at the limestone-conglomerate 
contact on the south and again at the conglomerate-lime- 
stone contact on the north. 

Galena and cerussite occur in a 500-m-wide vein 
system in which a total of 30 veins, separated from each 
other by wide blocks of barren limestone are aligned 
nearly parallel in an E-W direction. Of the 30 veins 
only five are important, the longest vein exposure being 
300 meters,, the others less than 150 meters. The veins, 
in general, conform to an E-W strata alignment and a 
steep north dip. Vein widths range from a few centi¬ 
meters to more than 4 meters. In some places the lead 
minerals appear to have been emplaced as filling in a 
network of fractures; in others mineralization shows 
evidence of having formed as replacement in the limestone. 
Crystalization is fine to medium In size. 



-109- 


Mlno Dovolopmen t: 

While In some respocts Naklak development la out¬ 
moded, the arrangement of drifts and crosscut la straight, 
orderly, and convenient for tramming. This Is mad© pos¬ 
sible in drifting by the unwavering alignment of the ore 
veins. The crosscuts have been driven on a due N-S course. 

Development Inoludes three vortical shafts, the 
No.3 Shaft serving as the main passage for hoisting of ore 
from the lower levels. The mine has been developed on four 
levels, at 50 meters, 85 meters, 125 meters arid 137 meters 
below shaft-collar elevation. Shaft pockets are provided 
for loading. 

Mining ; 

A cut-and-full mining method is employed. Enough 
waste Is broken from the walls and sorted from the broken 
vein material to provide a convenient working floor as the 
mining advances upward. Rock-lined ore passes are built 
above each chute and kept slightly In advance of the stope 
floor. Stope widths range from to 7 meters depending 
upon the vein thickness. Jackhammers and conventional 
drill steels are used In blast-hole drilling. Broken ore 
Is drawn from the chutes Into one-ton ore cars and hand- 
trammed to the shaft pockets from which It Is again drawn 
into i-T ore buckets and hoisted to the surface. 




no 



Blast-hole 


Drilling at Naklak 



Naklak Mine 

Unloading Mine Car at Ore Pocket 





. 111 . 



Naklak Mine 

Loading shaft bucket from ore pocket 
below the 137-m level 



Naklak lead ore discharged onto grizzly 





- 112 - 


Ore Bonoflclatlo n: 

Above the shaft collar ore buckets are discharged 
onto a grizzly, and the ore Is thereafter divided accord¬ 
ingly to the flow diagram shown in Figure 29, 

A primitive-type blast furnace is made of local 
brick, the inside lining consisting of a basic fire 
brick. The furnace is 20 feet high, feet square out¬ 
side, and about 3 feet inside, I-beams at each outside 
corner extend from top to bottom and are held in position 
by tie rods. Blast air Is admitted through tuyeres Just 
above the hearth. The usual charge consists of 500 kg of 
wood, 700 kg of coke, 40 kg of coal, 100 kg of ore 
(25$ Pb), 40 kg of iron ore and 50 kg of agglomerate made 
from fine concentrate, coke and iron ore. The furnace is 
tapped every 2j hours, the slag being discharged on the 
ground, the molten lead bullion Is drawn from the lead well 
Into a small pit. After the dross is skimmed off the molten 
lead is ladled into small molds and formed Into bars which 
are easily handled by one man. Production of 99.5$ Pb 
bullion Is normally about 5 tons dally. 

Low grade ore Is delivered to the concentrator 
where It is upgraded by means of Jigs and flotation ac¬ 
cording to the concentrator portion of the flowsheet in 
Figure 29, 


























































































































































































113 



Hand jigs upgrade grizzly undersize 
and screen oversize 



Shaking tables upgrade screen undersize 


















- 111 *- 



This concentrator upgrades 6-percent 
lead ore to 65 -percent concentrate 



After passing through a cone crusher 
and screen ore is first upgraded by 
mechanically-driven jigs 







- 115 - 



Jig tailings are ground to less than 
60-mesh size in this ball mill 



Final upgrading is by flotation. 
Cleaner cell froth contains 
67 to 68 percent lead 












116 - 



Concentrates are sundried 
in left foreground area 



Charging lump ore, agglomerated 
fines, coke and iron ore to the 
lead blast furnace 












117- 



After dross is removed molten lead 
{ 99 * 5 % Pb) flows into small pool at right 
and is ladled into molds 



Lead bars ready for shipment 




The mill produces 5 to 6 tone dally of concentrate 
containing 65 to 67 peroont Pb, The concentrator is owned 
and operated by a well-known Fronch firm, the Pennaroya 
Company. The latter buys ore from the Naklak Mine accord¬ 
ing to carefully determined weight and metal oontent. 


-119- 


CHAPTER ELEVEN 

CHAH SORB A ND NAITP ffAND MINE S 

The two mines, Chah Sorb and Naieband, are operated 
by the aame company, Sherkate Khuhestan with main office in 
the Namadi Bailding, Saadi Avenue, Tehran. Inasmuch aa both 
are situated In the Tabae District, and because portions of 
the Naieband ores are benefioiated at Chah Sorb, their as¬ 
sociation of operation Justifies a parallel description 
under one chapter. 

Chah Sorb Mine 

Remnants of a nearly obscure al&g dump together 
with long abandoned mine diggings at Chah Sorb constitute 
definite evidence of a raining operation that antedates 
the lifetime of the most elderly citizen of the area and 
all existing mining records. Apparently the mine remained 
unworked for several hundreds of years until in the Persian 
Year 1330 the Ghorbani brothers obtained from the Ministry 
of Industry and Mines a prospecting concession. In 1333 
Mohammad All Ghorbani was granted exploration licence which 
in 1336 was transferred to Khuhestan Company. 

Mine operations are directed by Ghorbani brothers 
one of whom lives at the mine and directly supervises the 
work while the other, Mohammad All, manages the business of 
th# Khuhestan Company in Tehran. 





-120- 


The Chah Sorb Mine is 74 km northwest of Tabas, and 
oan be reached by proceeding west 21 km on the Tabas-Yazd 
road to Mayra village, thence north-northwest on the Tabas- 
Sabsavar road 39 km to a gendarmerie post, Shigast, and 
again 14 km west to the mine. 

(a) Exploration : 

The writer visited this mine five years ago In the 
spring of 1960. At that time mining operations were con¬ 
fined to a few narrow widely-separated vein-like orebodies 
along N-S trending fissures in limestone. The mine was 
producing 50 tons daily of 4-to 5-peroent lead ore, and 
exposed workings indicated little chance of improved out¬ 
put or even continued operation beyond two years. However, 
in 1963, the manager noted and examined outcrops in a 
mineralized belt extending two kilometers north from the 
old workings, and there, in 1964, directed tunneling oper¬ 
ations in a ferruginous dolomite section. Tunneling to¬ 
ward the south from a hillside exposure, workmen uncovered 
a somewhat better grade of ore than that revealed on the 
surface. In the valley at the base of the hillside a 
vertical 2-compartmont shaft was excavated to a depth of 
40 meters. A drift was driven 30 meters on the 20-meter 
level and another waa excavated 80 meters on the 40-meter 


level, 



- 121 - 


(b) Geology : 

Those excavations have revealed an orebody far 
superior in sizo and grndo to tho old one, The last 40 
meters Is in an ore zone estimated to average 17 percent 
Pb. The width is 30 meters, or more, and the depth is 
unknown. The mine now yields 70 tons daily of 17-percent 
lead ore. 

The new orebody displays strong galena mineraliz¬ 
ation in fractured dolomite. The fracture zone, ranging 
from 8 to 30 meters in width, pitches about 60° west. 
Massive galena occurs in patches in the highly fractured 
dclomite, and blebs of galena are disseminated in the 
less fractured blocks. Parts of this orebody show in¬ 
tense lead mineralization, others show sparse mineraliz¬ 
ation, and some, none at all. Crystal size is medium to 
coarse. 

(c) Mining : 

Since the size and shape of the orebody have not 
yet oeen fully determined no development plan or mining 
system has been finalized. If the orebody is of sufficient 
size a method of sublevel sloping might be employed with 
reasonable safety to the workmen and the benefit of 100- 
percent ore extraction. 

At present ore is broken from exploration drifts 




-122- 


and orossouts on the 40-meter level by conventional drill¬ 
ing-blasting-hand-shovelling method. Hoisted to the sur¬ 
face, it is hand-sorted into categories: (1) a marketable 
high-grade ore of 60-70 percent Pb content, (2) a mill- 
grade ore of 12-14 peroent Pb, and (3) a waste reject 
of 0 to 2 peroent Pb. Six tons daily of marketable ore 
are sacked at the sorting area. Sixty tons daily of 
mill-grade ore are truck-hauled two kilometers to the con¬ 
centrator. The mine is operated two shifts daily, and 
affords employment to 120 workers. 

(d) Concentrating : 

The mill-grade ore is dumped into a 30-ton-capaci- 
ty bin from which it is moved by a cam-actuated pan feeder 
to a 14-inch jaw crusher. Crusher product advances by 
gravity to a set of 14-lnch rolls which reduces all ore to 
minus 5/8-inch size. The roll product drops to a 30-ton- 
capacity fine ore bin which discharges to a 4* x 4' ball 
mill. The ground pulp from the ball mill is carried by 
elevator to a shaker screen, the oversize from which re¬ 
turns to the ball mill. Fines from the screen flow to a 
jig, the tailing product of which enters a spiral class¬ 
ifier. Oversize product of the classifier flows to a con¬ 
centrating table and undersize is pumped to a thickener. 

The thickened under flow is pumped to the flotation section 



-123- 


where the readouts, zanthate, sodium sulphide end sulph¬ 
uric acid are added boforo it enters the flotation machine. 
Froth from the cleaner cell flows to a drying vat and tail¬ 
ings from the last rougher flow to waste. Table, Jig and 
flotation concentrate are combined and, after drying, 
sacked for marketing at Pahlavi. Mill concentrates con¬ 
taining 60 percent Pb along with sorted high-grade lump 
ore are shipped by truck to Sabsavar, thence by rail to 
Tehran, and again by truck to Pahlavi. 

Naleband Mine 

The Naleband lead-zinc mine is situated in flat 
country 230 km by road southeast of Tabas, The mine may 
be reached by proceeding 95 km east on the Tabas-Meshed 
road to the village of Dehuk, thence south 135 km to the 
mine. The mine, operated on a 3-shift basis, affords 
employment to 150 workers. 

(a) Mine Development : 

Sherkate-Khuhestan obtained an operating conces¬ 
sion early in 1343 and, for the remainder of the year, 
carried out a program of intense development. During 
this time they started five vertical shafts, and by the 
end of the year, three of these had reached depths of 
32, 35 and 90 meters, respectively. On the 60-meter 
level at No.5 shaft drifting was advanced 120 meters west- 




-1 24 - 


ward along tbo vein. Development on tho 90-motor level 
amounted to 40 motors. 

(b) Geology : 

Tho ore vein occurs along a vortical jHJ-W trend¬ 
ing fault In volcanic rock which appears to be rhyolite 
on the south wall and andesite on the north wall. Fault¬ 
ing is believed to have occurred both before and after 
mineral emplacement. The vein, generally ranging in width 
from | to 2 meters, is not continuous for the entire 120 
meters of drift. However, in one 4C-meter strip mineral¬ 
ization is strong, and, for about one-half of the dis¬ 
tance, two parallel veins with a narrow strip of waste 
between are exposed in the working stope above the 60-m 
level. The vein has been exposed by shafts and surface 
diggings for a length of 1,6 meters. The ore minerals 
consist chiefly of moderately coarse-grained galena and 
sphalerite, though seme cerussite is present. On the 
90-m level pyrite occurs in considerable more abundance 
than in the upper workings. 

(c) Minin g: 

Above the 60-m level the mining of ore is ad¬ 
vanced upward by shrinkage stoping in which enough ore 
is left in the stope te serve as a working floor until 
the entire block is broken to a size sufficiently small 




to bo drawn from oro chutes at the 60-m level* Inasmuch 
as the excavation of a shaft pocket at the 60-m level was 
not included in the development work It Is necessary to 
tram the loaded ore cars to the shaft and discharge the 
ore onto the drift floor, there to be shoveled by hand 
Into hoisting buckets. The hoist.ed ore is dumped Into an 
ore car at the surface where it is trammed to a sorting 
and screening area. The mine produces about 30 tons daily, 
(d) Sortin> 

The run-of-mine ore contains 6-7 % of lead and 
zinc combined. About 30 sorters are employed in selecting 
high-grade lumps of galena, in rejecting coarse waste, in 
sorting out zinciferous coarse ore and In screening. The 
fines from the screen are tabled at the mine to produce a 
lead concentrate. Zinc middlings along with the sorted 
zinciferous coarse ore are truck-hauled to the Chah Sorb 
mill for concentrating. Considering le«d and zinc con¬ 
centrates together with high-grade lead ore, the Naieband 
mine yields 3 to 4 tons daily of marketable products. 

The excessively long truck haul of more than 600 km to 
Sabsavar plus rail transportation to Tehran and a second 
truck haul to Pahlavl represent a tremor ^ously heavy part 
of the production coat. 



126 



Temporary headframe and hoist house at 
the Chah Sorb (lead) Mine 



High-grade galena is sorted from 

each ore car 









127 



The Chah Sorb Concentrator 



Flotation at the Chah Sorb Mine 







128 



Temporary hoisting and screening facilities 
at Naieband Lead-Zinc Mine 



Loading ore into hoisting bucket 
on the 60-ra level of Naieband Mine 




-129- 


CHAPTER TWELVE 

MEHDIABAD MI NE 

The Mehdlabad Mine is easily accessible by proceeding 80 km 
southeast from Yazd on the Yazd-Kerman highway, and thence east 
30 km across alkali flats to the southeast slope of an isolated 
mountain belonging to the eastern Zagros Range. The mine is about 
15 km east of Mehdiabad village. 

The Meshahr Mining Company, an affiliate of the Parjam 
Construction and Mining Company, 591 E. Takhte Jamshid, Tehran, 
operated this mine and the Darreh Zanjir, together with other 
lead-zinc deposits in the Yazd area, in the oarly 1950. However, 
metal market retrenchments and a lowering of metal prices a few 
years after the close of World War II reduced the profit margin 
In lead and zinc mining to the extent that the Company was ob¬ 
liged to discontinue operations in 1958. During nine years of 
operation the Company produced for exoort 12,000 tons of carbonate 
ore containing 40-45 percent zinc; in addition 10,000 tons contain¬ 
ing about 20 percent zinc was stockpiled. This production came 
entirely from that part of the mine known locally as the 
’’Calamine Workings”, which, in May 1961, were surveyed and sampl¬ 
ed cooperatively by the U30M/I mining engineer and a Ministry of 
Industry and Mines engineer. In 1964 the Meshahr Company and 
the AmericanMetnls-Climax Company formed a new association, the 
Mehdiabad Mining Company, for the purpose of further exploration 
in the vicinity, to be followed by exploitation, If warranted. 





- 130 - 


The new Company engaged the services of McKay and 
Schnollman, a London engineering firm, to map and manage 
exploration, of a large alluvium-covered, gossanized area 
southeast of the Calamine Workings (300 Figs. 30 and 31). 

On the east side of this area exploratory tunnelling together 
with diamond drilling had previously revealed sporadic oc¬ 
currences of lead and zinc carbonate minerals in the gossan 
zone as well as patches of galena and sphalerite in dolomite. 

In November 1964 an AID/Ministry-supported core drilling 
program was undertaken for the purpose of exploring the proposed 
area to greater depths and in somewhat greater detail than 
previously tested. The first five holes were aimed at explor¬ 
ing the gossan at depth on it3 projected dip and to extract core 
from the underlying formation a3 well. Concurrently with the 
early drilling phase the area was geophysically tested by McPhar 
Geophysics Limited employing both the electromagnetic and in¬ 
duced polarization methods. Interpretations indicated anomolies 
which served as guides in choosing subsequent hole locations, 
namely DH Nos. 6,7,8, and 9, 

Geology 

Sandstones, shales, and silicifiod dolomite underly a broad 
mantle of '’gossan'* consisting of siderite, barite, quartz, 
calcite, manganese and other mineral constituents. Strata 
overlying the gossan consist of Cretaceous limestones, shales 
and dolomites which are the host rock for the "calamine" ore- 
bodies. Sodlments in the "Calamine" area aro twisted, folded, 




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’ / ylCf 'T\j/ *~\ 1 ' /, '' * 

ijm0% WrY(w { 

Sr l / ir!i/ {- J ikw S X i 


ifl, y I—■ 

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ffo 




rs 




•4-4 _C>\\> --Xw> TV// -r^ - 

-• n \)<n_c'' f)/- - v-' {if," y ■ ■' 

r —->1 - v v . *._ -v> .■*•'<,' ■ -Yy'S** * •■■ 

: :C • A ‘ 



I 

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i !! 

‘h i,. 

us; 11 u t! 



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i* 


i*4 


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* VICa*’* 

1 X-a, . -y-^ yy \ _a_ jl 


















































-isl¬ 


and faulted into a variety of attltudos and Irregular positions* 
The ores of smithsonite and coru33ito have been mined from 
Irregular shaped stopes on four different levels, each separated 
from the other by low grade or barren calcareous material* 

The physical features of the "Calamine Area" include, In 
addition to the folded strata, a general slump, or sink hole 
structure, similar to that observed at the Angouran Mine. 

The same processes, oxidation, leaching, chemical reaction, 
and precipitation, as attributed to the Angouran orebody may 
have been responsible also for the formation of carbonate zinc- 
lead ores at Mehdiabad. Associated with the smith3onite and 
cerussite is the characteristic reddish brown clay, the residual 
product of limestone decomposition. 

The "Calamine" deposits are apparently cut off on the south¬ 
west by a major fault with a NW-SW trend. The break manifests 
itself quite clearly by the displacement of the sediments and 
by the canyon that has resulted from water erosion along the 
fault strike. Breaks in the strata just east of the Mehdiabad 
camp indicate the presence of minor branch faults. The terrain 
in the "Calamine" area is steep and irregular, but the area to 
the south and southwest is a great alluvium-covered flat extend¬ 
ing 25 km to the Yazd-Kerman highway. In the area immediately 
south of the major fault the alluvium is underlain by a broad 
gossanized bed which terminates in a hillside outcrop on the 
east, forms the Black Hills on the west, and, as indicated by 


-138 


drill coros from Holes P-6 end K-7, assumes a thick basin- 
shaped minoralized body below the intervening boulder- 
strewn covering. In the eastorn part of the area a 10-motor 
thickness of gossan is underlain directly by 40 meters of 
dolomite followed by shale. In tho central section both the 
gossan and dolomite together show a thickness of 250 meters or 
more, and shale was never encountered. Sulphides of zinc and 
lead occur In the dolomite. On the west a 90-meter thickness 
of gossan was found to be underlain by shale and dolomite with 
a high barite content. 

Silver and copper in limited amounts, along with lead 
and zinc, were found in almost all samples. The representative 
pieces of core from Hole-D-2 were submitted by American Metals- 
Climax Corp., to petrographer, Andrew J. Lang, Jr., for 
petrographic examination. Hr. Lang’s report on sample M-2 
follows. 

"The minerals identified and their paragenesis are as 

follows: 

Siliciflcation - 

Quartz - 

Barite - 

Siderite - 

Pyrit e - 

3ohalerite - 

Chalcopyrite - 

Galena - 

Bournomite - 

"In thin section nonmetallic gangue minerals are quartz, 
barite, and siderite. The sections show several sub- 
angular fragments, presumably relic wall rock breccia, 
that are intensely sllicifiod by fine-grained quartz and 


- 133 - 


locally partly replaoed by fine-gralnod siderite. The 
original mineral has been completely destroyed, however 
the disposition and texture of the sllifioation suggest 
an original carbonate host.” 

"Quartz appears to be the most abundant nonmetallic 
constituent in the sample. In addition to the above 
silicification quartz occurs as tiny anhodral grains, 
as small as 0,01 mm across to lamellar typically vein- 
type individuals, to slightly more than i mm in length. 
Quartz undoubtedly was deposited first as it is rigorously 
corroded by barite, siderite, and all sulphides. Its 
texture appears to indicate crystallization by filling 
an open vein breccia. Barite follows quartz in order 
of deposition and there is no evidence of substantial 
overlap between these minerals. It is colorless in thin 
ssetion and may be seen as anhedral to subhedral grains 
0.1 to C.5 mm across, to coarse tabular crystals as much 
as 2 cm long. Barite, like quartz, appears to have been 
deposited mostly by filling. Siderite is seen in hand 
specimen as small cream-colored crystals interspersed in 
quartz and barite. In thin section it is most commonly 
found as rhombic crystals less than 0.8 mm across. The 
grains show distinct absorption and ore often lightly 
dusted by a brownish material, presumably ferric hydroxide. 
Whore siderite replaces quartz the contact Is usually 
anhedral, but when in contact with barite siderite usually 
shows its rhombic form. Barite and siderite apparently 
overlapped in deposition, but siderite veinlets in barite 
undoubtedly indicate its continued crystallization." 

"Galena is by far the dominant sulphide in the present 
sample. Pyrite appears to have begun crystallizing sub¬ 
stantially before galena. It may be seen as tiny anhedral 
grains, mostly less than 0.2 mm across. Included within 
galena and quartz. Galena, which has made room for it¬ 
self by vigorously replacing barite and quartz, occurs as 
coarse patches to several mm across, and as delicate 
veinlets and apophyses mostly In barite. The galena patches 
usually contain only a very small amount of unreplaced 
remanants of earlier formed vein minerals. At most a 
galena mass will contain only a very few euhedral grains 
of siderite, which mineral appears to have resisted re¬ 
placement by galena, and lesser anhodral grains of quartz 
and barite. Chalcopyrito is found either as tiny grains, 
leas than 0,2 mm across, in quartz and barite; or as ir¬ 
regularly shaped blebs as much as 0,6 mm long, unevenly 
included in patches of galena. This chalcopyrite appears 
as remnants corroded by galena, but an occasional tiny 


- 134 - 


projection into galena probably Indicates a brief period 
of simultaneous crystallization* M 

"Sphalerite is mostly found as anhodral grains in pal ana, 
but may occur as individuals in both quartz and barite* 

The prain size ranges from about 0,02 to 0*03 mm in 
diameter, but the averape 3ize is about 0,08 mm. Occasionally 
sphalerite forms a narrow border partly surrounding patches 
of palona, Bournonite was seen only as inclusions in 
palena. In polished section the two minerals are similar 
In color, however bournonite reflects a light greenish cast, 
and on this basis the minerals may be differentiated* In 
addition, bournonite is negative to the common etch reapents 
{except aqua regia). The inclusions in galena are tiny 
shapeless grains which vary in size from less than 0.01 to 
as much as 0.09 mm across, and grains nearer the smaller 
size are most common. In the present sample bournonite 
shows no clear-cut evidence of replacement of or by palena. 
Thus the two minerals are tentatively considered as 
crystallizing at about the same time/* 

While the sample examined displayed a dominance of galena 
among the sulphides the core sample assays (refer to the drill 
hole logs accompanying this report) show a preponderance of 
zinc over the other base metals. 

Mine Workings 

Figure 30 shows the relative oosition of the mine camp 
and the Calamine Wox’kings as well as the lead and zinc content 
of samples collected from underground pillars and stope walls. 

When the mine was in operation ore was transferred from the 
upper workings through ore passes to the 1990 meter level and 
trammed to a loading chute at the east end of the lowest waste 
dump. Moderately small orebodies were mined from short adits 
on four levels, three of which, the 2020-meter, the 2090-meter 
and the 2150-meter levels, are shown on the map. A very un¬ 
systematic form of room-and-pillar mining was employed, re¬ 
sulting in a high percentage of unextracted ore. The broken 






LEGEND 



Alluvium 



Gossan 


T \ Dolomite 



Carbonate Ore 
Grade Cut-Off at S % 
Combined Pb &■ Zn 


Shale 


MEHDIA BAD MINE 
SECTION THRU DRILL HOLE A-l 

SCALE IN METERS 


0 IO 20 30 40 90 

ELEVATION IN METERS 


FIG, 32 


C. D. P. E 

6/V 65 





























































































































































19 09.2 



MEHDIABAD MINE 
SECTION THRU D.H D'2 
SCALE IN METERS 

0 10 20 30 40 JO 

ELEVATIONS IN METERS 


FIG. 35 


C D PE 
6/14/65 SB 
















































































































































































ELV. 1689.4 



legend 



ALLUVIUM 

DOLOMITE 

SH/U 

carbonate ore 


MEHDIABAO MINE 

SECTION THRU D. H B-3 
Scale in Meters 

<j to 10 y> 40 y> 


SB, 


FIG.34 


C.D. P. E 
7/15/GS 
























































































































I9I6-8 





Gossan 


Shale 



Carbonate Ore 
Grade cut-off 
S % Combined Pb & Zn 


1787.2 


ME HO I A BAD MINE 
SECTION THRU D.H.E~4 

Scale m Meters 

cz z. .. .1 ■ izji v u 

0 10 20 30 40 50 

elevations in Meters 


FIG. 35 


C D PE 

6-10-65 


S.8. 








































































































LEGEND 

ALLUVIUM 

DOLOMITE 

SULPHIDE 
LEAD-ZINC ORE 


W.*aj 


B 


MEHDIABAD MINE 
SECTION THROUGH D. H. H-5 

O 10 20 30 40 50 


SCALE IN METERS 

ELEVATIONS IN METERS 
FIGURE 36 

























































































































BOTTOM OF OLD P/T 
57 METERS OF ALLUVIUM ABOVE 




ALLUVIUM 


GOSSAN 



LIMESTONE 



SULPHIDE 

LEAD-Z/NC-S/L VEN ORE 
S, /<? % EASE METALS 
2,2 OZ/T SILVER 


mehdiabad MINE 

DRILL HOLE F-6 
Scale in Me+ers 
o tp 20 so +o so 

cope 

6 / 25/6 S 


FIG.37 


































































ELV. I304-.S 


/8S0. 4 


/73d.2 


/€60.2 


/ €77.3 


/SO/. 6 




mehdiabad mine 

SECTION THRU D.H.K7 

Scolc in M«ters 

% 10 10 y »o y 


r IG.38 


n=n 


EZH 


LEGEND 


ALLUVIUM 


GOss/tn 


UMBSTOtie 


SULPHIDE ORE Phzn.Af 


CO.PE. 
7 / 6/65 


S8 


























































































BLV. 1951'0 



LEGEND 

t! - - ■■ ■!'■■■ I— 





LIMESTONE 

SILTSTONE 

SHALE 

GOSSAN 

SULPHIDE ORE-Pb,Zn, Ag 


MEHDIABAD MINE 
SECTION THRU D.HL-8 
Scale in Meters 

0 10 10 30 40 so 

»-> 


C D. P. E. 

7 / 14/66 


S.8. 


FIG. 39 

























































































































EL V. *9 70.0 

1921.0 


ISO 1.0 


1868.5 


0+2,0 


IQ/4,8 

1805.0 

1798.0 



LEGEND 



ALLUVIUM 

LIMESTONE 

SHALE 

8RECC/A 

MUDSTONE 

GALEN ft AND 

sPHALERire 


MEHDIABAD MINE 

D. D. HOLE No-9 

Scale in Meters 

Y to to 50 40 S O 


FIG. 40 


C.O.R E. 
7/ I9/S5 


SB. 





















































































































oro was sortod Into throe categories: (1) high grade shipping 
oro of which moat wan sold as zinc oro to Russian orebuyors, 

(. ) a mineralized reject averaging about 15 percent combined 
load and zinc which remains stockpiled at the mine, and (3) 
waste. 

In 1958 and 1959 a few exploratory adits were excavated 
in the gossan which outcrops In the East Hill area. Samples 
collected from these openings range from 2 to 15 percent in 
combined lead and zinc which occur mostly In cerussite and 
smith3onite, although galena and sphalerite occur sparsely. 

Exploration 

Topograohic and geologic mapping were started in September 
1964 by Shgineers Simmons and Liebowitz of McKay and Schnellman 
Company operating under contract for the Mehdiabad Mining Company. 
In November 1964 core drilling was started by the Ministry of 
Economy - US AID- supported drilling program at Hole No.A-1. 

The map of the Mehdiabad area in Pig, 31 shows the location 
of all drill holes. Drill hole sections are shown in Figures 
3? to 40, inclusive. 

Drill Hole A-l was started in an area known as the '’Pass 11 
where gossan is exposed in the East Hills. The hole was point¬ 
ed east at an inclination of 60 degrees. At 21 feet the drill 
passed through the first gossan layer into limestone, but re¬ 
entered gossan at 36 feet. At 44 feet the drill passed again 
Into dolomitic limestone in which It remained to a depth of 



- 130 - 


315 foot. A gossanized .section, 315-354 foot, avorogod 
1.82$ Pb, 13.24/0 Zn and 0.27 oz/T Ag. Mineralization of this 
type was negligible between 354 and 440 feet, but the zone 
between 440 and 490 feet averaged 1.50$ Pb, 14.50$ Zn and 
0,16 oz/T’ Ag. The drill passed into shale at 503 feet and the 
hole was bottomed at 524 feet. 

Drill Hole D-2 was started in the western part of the 
Mehdiabad area at the north end of the largest of the Black 
Hills® This hole, collared in gossan at 1909 meters in 
eievation, was pointed east at 60° inclination. The drill 
penetrated only gossan and barite to a deoth of 507 feet. A 
mineralized zone, 305-430 feet averaged 1.92$ Pb, 4.43$ Zn 
and 3,42 oz/T Ag, The drill went through limestone from 507 
feet to 550 feet and reentered a heavily oxidized zone of 50 
feet averaging 4.28$ Pb, 5.23$ Zn, 0.61$ Cu and 5.88 oz/T Ag, 

The material below 600 feet was poorly mineralized limestone 
and barite carrying some sulphides of lead and zinc. The hole 
was bottomed at 697.5 feet. 

Drill Hole B-3 was located in the East area 282 meters 
northwest of Drill Hole A-l, The Hole, directed vertical, first 
penetrated 360 feet of finely crystalline dolomite stained in 
places by iron oxide to brown oi maroon; the drill then passed 
through a 37,5 - foot thickness of oxidized material averaging 
1.29$ Pb, 15.10$ Zn and C.39 oz/T Ag. At 397.5 feet the drill 
again ontored dolomite and continued in the same formation to 
the bottom at 514.2 feet. 


-137- 


Drill Hole E-4 was started in nonsan in tho Black Hills 
area 190 meters northwest of ’Drill Hole 0-2. Advancing 
vertically, the drill penotatratod 185 foot of low-grade 
gossan and barite, then passed into a 100-foot thickness of 
oxidized matorial averaging 4.96# Pb, 2.36# Zn, and 4.16 
oz/T Ag. At 289 foot the drill entered shall and the hole 
was bottomed at 422,5 feet. 

Drill Hole H-5 is situated at the western foot of the 
East Hills 620 meters south of Drill Hole A-l. The drill 
passed vertically through 530 feet of .finely crystalline 
dolomite before entering a ailicified black dolomite carrying 
some galena and sphalerite. Sulphide ore was encountered as 
follows: 

Depth-530 to 545 feet; grade - 1.34# Pb, 6.80# Zn, 1.36 oz/T Ag 

Depth-565 to 580 feet; grade - 0.93# Pb, 5.43# Zn, 0.25 oz/T Ag 

Depth-645 to 650 feet; grade - 0.65# Pb, 4,60# Zn, 0.72 oz/T Ag 

The hole was bottomed in shale at 666,5 feet. 

Drill Hole P-6 was started from the bottom of a shaft 
centrally located in the explored area. Including the shaft 
depth a thickness of 26b.? feet of alluvium was encountered, 

A highly barytic gossan immediately below the alluvium showed 
a thickness of 328.5 feet. Below the gossan the drill penetrat¬ 
ed 240 feet of submarginal material, then at 835 feet in depth 
passed into a 19-foot thickness of ore containing 4,20# Pb, 

0,25# Zn, 0,26# Cu, 3,16 oz/T Ag. Botween depths of 1047 and 


-138- 


1070 foot tho core contained 1.0$ Cu in thn form of ehal cOpyr 1 to. 
Tho hole was bottomed in llmostone at 1107 feet. 

Drill Hole K-7, 100 meters west-south-we3t of F-6, 
penetrated 177.5 feet of alluvium and passed directly into 
the customary goaaan which proved to be 568 feet thick at 
this point. Below the gossan the drill enconterod a silicified 
dolomite containing minor amounts of galena, snhalerite and 
chalcooyrite. At the interval of 765 to 780 feet in depth the 
material showed an average grade of 4,25$ Pb, 0.30$ Zn, 0.12$ 

Cu and 2.29 oz/T Ag. The hole was bottomed in nyritic silicified 
limestone at 1058.4 feet. 

Drill Hole L-8 passed through alluvium into limestone 12 
feet below the surface and continued in barren shaley limestone 
to 227.2 feet where it entered a sulphide zone showing con¬ 
siderable galena. At 251 feet the drill reentered a poorly 
mineralized zone consisting of limestone siltstone and shale. 
Gossan was encountered at 562 feet and persisted to a depth 
of 780 feet where the drill reentered a sulohide ore zone of 126 
feet in thickness. No core was recovered in the next, 25 feet 
presumably because of a cavity. The drill reonterod fractured 
limestone and siltstone at 931 feet and the hole was bottomed 
ih fractured 3hale at 963 feet. Two intervals of ore were 
encountered in this hole. The first, between depths 230 feet 
and 250 feet, had a metal content of 4.85$ Pb, 


0.4$ Zn, and 



"Calamine Working" at Mehdiabad. Carbonate Zinc ore was 
mined on four levels above the waste dump in foreground. 



Gossan outcrops in East Hills 


-lUo- 



Lead-zinc-silver-copper-bearing gossan forms 
the Black Hills to the west 



Student drillers receive instructions on hole washing 
technique as core barrel and bit approach bottom of hole 


.i-.r 








Coring at Mehdiabad Hole F-6 



Core from Mehdiabad Hole L-8 




- 142 - 


2.41 oz/T of silver. Tho second occurring: between depth s 
of 780 foot and 905 feet, contained 2.1$ Pb, 5.4$ Zn, 0.11$ 

Cu and 0.91 oz/T of a liver. 

Drill Hole N.9 passed through 22.4 feet of alluvium and 
then a succession of calcareous layers, oredominatly limestone. 
Below 282 feet mudstones and siltstones were more prevalent. 
Sulphides were encountered from 360 feet to 420 feet, although 
only the interval between 375 feet and 383 feet indicated mill 
grade ore. The average content was 5.61$ Pb, 0,3$ Zn and 3.86 
oz/T of silver. 

Reserves 

Drilling at Mehdiabad ha3 included a rather large area, 
and the drill holes are spaced so far apart that estimated 
tonnages can only be inferred. At this stage of investigation 
it is difficult to fix the minimum grade for ore in Iran. By 
open pit mining and large tonnage milling the low limit for an 
extensive lead-zinc sulphide deposit might be 4 percent. On 
the other hand, if selective underground mining is employed 
and a shortage of water and other necessitiesrestrict milling 
operations the limit may be 5 percent or more for sulphide ore, 
and as much as 10 percent for carbonate ore. Carbonate ore is 
difficult to upgrade; furthermore the present TSuropean ore 
market strongly favors sulphide ores because of their re¬ 
coverable sulphur content. Sulphide ores are sufficiently 
available to satisfy smelter capacity. 

The writer has arbitrarily selected a grade cut-off of 4 


poroont In combined load, zlno and coppor for the aulnhlde zone 



-143 


and 6 percent for the carbonate zone. No recognition is 
given to isolated 5-foot intervals exceeding those grades. 

On the other hand, in a few instances, a 5-foot interval 
of lesser grade contained within a large section is averaged 
with the whole. In estimating ore reserves no consideration 
is given to thicknesses of 'less than G feet. Also no con¬ 
sideration is given to sulphide ore in Hole H-5. 

(a) The Carbonate Zone 

Gossanized cores containing more than 6-percent 
in base metals were extracted from Holes A-l, D-2, B-3, and 
E-4 at intervals as described below: 


Hole 

No. 

Interval 
in Feet 

Percent 

Pb Zn 

Cu 

oz/T 

A fi 



315-354 







^’©GO 0 )^^ 

1.82 

13.24 


0.27 

A-l 


440-490 

(50'©60°)«h3.3 ! 

1.50 

14.50 


0.16 



305-430 

(125'©60°*108.2» 

1.92 

4.43 

0.06 

3.42 

D-2 


550-600 

(50»@60 o H^3.3 , 

4.28 

5.23 

0.61 

5.88 

B-3 


360-397.5 

1.29 

15.10 


0.38 

E-4 


185-285 

4.9 

2.36 

0.16 

4.16 


The 

four Holes A-l, D- 

•2, E-4 

and B-3 

from a 

quadrangl 


with an area of approximately 170,000 squaro meters. Assuming 
an ore thickness of 28 meters and a specific gravity (as 
measured) of 3.8, this block represents a mass of 18 million 
metric tons. The weighted average in thickness is 92 feet 








- 144 - 

or 28 meters, end in grade, 2.9 % Pb, 7.0f$ Zn, 0.13$ Cu and 
2,93 oz/T Ag. 

Sinoe Holes A-l and D-2, situated respectively at the 
southeast and sov hwost corners of the quadrangle, reveal the 
higher grade core for a greater thickness than the northeast 
and northwest corner holes, a southerly•extension of the carbonate 
block is a strong probability. Samples from excavations and 
tunnels in the East Ridge Area suoport this assumption to a 
limited degree. 

(b) The Sulphide Zone 

The sulphide zone is also determined by four holes 
which form the quadrangle P-6, K-7, L-8 and N-9. The ore 
intervals renresented by core from these holes are as follows: 



Interval 

Percent 


oz/T 

Hole No. 

in Feet 

Pb 

Zn 

Cu 


P-6 

835-854 

19ft 

2.65 

5.20 

0.20 

1.86 


865-885 

20ft 

4.20 

0,25 

0.26 

3.14 

K-7 

765-780 

15ft 

4.25 

0.30 

0.12 

2.29 


230-250 

20ft 

4.85 

0.40 

0.02 

2.41 

L-8 

780-905 

125ft 

2.10 

5.40 

0.21 

0.90 

N-9 

375-383 

8ft 

5.61 

0.30 

0,02 

3.86 

Av. 

15.82(meters) 

2.91 

3.83 

0.18 

1.67 






-145- 


The a^ea within the quadrangle described by Holes F-6, 

K- 7 , L-8 and N-9 in 100,350 square meters. Accenting an average 
thickness of 15,8 meters this 3ulohide ore block at specific 
gravity of 3.5 reoresonts a mass of six million metric tons. 
Figure 41 shows Section A-A, through Drill Holes L-8 and K-7. 
Figure 42 shows Section C-C, through DHs K-7, F-6 and B-3. 

In the case of the sulohide zone the strong mineralization 
is shown on the north side, and it is believed that this block 
extends to the north well under the steep slopes that expose 
slumped and folded sediments at the surface. 


Recapitulating, the inferred reserves are: 


Zone 

Area 
sq. M 

Av. Thickness 
Meters 

Millions 

Metric 

Tons 

of 

Percent 
Pb Zn 

Cu 

oz/T 
A g 

Oxidized 

170,000 

28 

18 

2.9 

7.06 

0.13 

2.93 

Sulphide 

108.350 

15.83 

C 

2.91 

3.83 

0.18 

1.57 

Total 

278,350 

24 •: 

24 

2.9 

6.23 

0.15 

2.59 

Recommendations 








Hole L-8 indicates a strengthening and thickening of 
sulphide mineralization toward the north. Further core drilling 
in the area north and northwest of Hole L-8 and north of N-9 is 
strongly recommended. 









-14 6- 


CHAPTER THIRTEEN 
LAKAN MINES 


The Lakan Group consists of a succession of six mine workings 
situated along the axis of an anticline over a 2 kn distance. 

The Lakan Mines were given the name of a small nearby village 
located 50 km southwest of Ghomein. The mines are near the 
eastern foothills of an isolated NW-SE oriented range of the 
Zagros Mountains at an altitude of about 2200 meter3 above sea 
1evel. 

The mines were ooened and worked by the Government of Iran 


In the six years preceding the Persian Year 1335. In that year a 
new organization, the Ghomein Company, was formed by the issuance 
of 2000 shares of stock of which the Iran Mining and Metallurgical 
Corporation, a Government-supported firm, retained 51 percent, 
and the Penaroya Company, a well-known French mining corporation, 
purchased 49 percent. The new company was formed for the operation 
of three lead mines, the Lakan, Darreh Ho&hreh and Baba Sheikh 
in the Ghomoin district. Later the GOI released to the citizens 
of Ghomein all but 100 shares, or 5 percent of the stock, thus 
leaving Penaroya with the controlling interest. 

Prior to these transactions and during the final year of 001 
operation 11,000 tons of 65-percent lead ore was extracted from 
an open cut at the main deposit. Under Ghomein Company operation 
up to 1338 the mine was developed on three levels, and a mill 
grade ore was mined. At market prices of that time the ore, as 
mined,was submarginal in quality, and the Company was obliged to 





ELE V. 1932.0 




















ELEV. 1904. 



lli 

O 

UJ 



UJ 

z 


a 

< 

00 

< 

a 

x 

UJ 

2 


SECTION THROUGH C-C, gosson 
















147- 


discontinue the operation in ordor to avoid prolonged financial 
loss. 

The rocks of the area consists of 3hale, quartzite, silicifiod 
limestone and a younger unaltered limestone. The ore minerals, 
consisting chiefly of galena and less commonly of sphalerite, 
occur along the axis of an anticline near the contact of two 
limestones in the west oart and near a limestone-quartzite 
contact on the east. This axis alignment is about N 75°VJ, and 
the orebody dips steeply N. The orebody, where worked, is 
reported to have been one to five meters thick. The ore extract¬ 
ed at the site of the open cut was reported to have been very 
high grade, requiring almost no sorting. The open cut width is 
about 8 meters, indicating a wide ore zone, and stopes along the 
upoer level, 40m below surface, are equally as wide. 

The mine has been developed on three levels. The inter¬ 
mediate level, 26 meters below the uoper-most level, consists 
of 100 m of drift, 120 m of crosscut, and a 10-m by 40-m room- 
and-pillar stope. The longitudinal extent of ore on this level 
is about 60 meters. On the lowest level, 24 meters below the 
intermediate, a 100-meter crosscut from the surface leads to a 
330-m east-trending drift which exposed load mineralization for 
about 200 meters. According to a looal mine official, a vertical 
winze was excavated to a dopth of 40 meters below the lowest 
working level, and ho roports it was in ore. If so, the ore would 


-140- 


then be known to extend from surface to winze bottom, a vortical 
distance of 130 meters. 

The Penaroya Company built at the mine a flotation mill 
of 350-tpd capacity which they operated at a rate of about 315 
tpd for two years, 1335-1337. The mill heads were reported to 
average 6 percent lead. The mine and mill afforded employment 
to 400 workers during the peak of operations. 

The mill is designed for a simple direct flowsheet as 
follows: 


Coarse Ore Bin (600-T capacity) 

I 

Primary Jaw Crusher 

I 

Pine ore Bin 

* 


Secondary Crusher 


Symons Cone Crusher 

♦ 

Screen 

)L 


Oversize 


Undersize 


6* x 6 f Ball Mill 


I 

Spiral Classifier 
| Over/lze Overflow 

26 Flotation Cells 

y- 1 -^ 

Concentrate Waste 

l 

Market 

Mill capacity could easily be increased to BOO tpd with the 
addition of another grinding and flotation unit equal to the 
existing one. 











- 149 - 



Crushing plant and conveying system at Lakan 



Flotation and filter buildings at Lakan 






- 150 - 


USAID-Ministry exploratory drilling is in progress at 
Lakan at the time of this writing. The site of investigation 
is a nearly flat alluvium-oovered area situated Just east of 
the mine workings. Company geologists have marked 26 proposed 
drill hole locations, the lines of which radiate out from the 
most easterly mine workings roughly in semblance to the spokes 
of a wheel. To date, August 22, 1965, the drilling of 9 holes 
has been completed. The prevalent lithologic succession from 
surface downward has been 

alluvium-17 to 117 feet in thickness 

shaley limestone - 17 to 300 feet in thickness 

silicified limestone - 0 to 107 feet in thickness 

shale - undetermined feet in thickness. 

Breaks in the above succession were displayed in some holes, as 
exemplified by Hole 8 which showed thin layers of black shale, 
marl, and igneous material within the shaley limestone. 

Three holes, Nos, 2, 3 and 5, all on the eastward projection 
of the long axis of the mined orebody, have revealed occurrences 
of galena and sphalerite. Hole 2 intercepted a fair amount of 
these minerals bttween depths of 110 and 114 feet in the upper 
part of the silicified limestone. Hole 3 revealed galena and 
pyrite in the same formation at the following intervals: 119,5 
to 127 feet, 129 to 133 feet, 137 to 141 feet, 143 to 144 feet and 
147 to 149 feet. Hole 5 showed scattered specks of galena from 
114 to 164,5 feet and fair lead ore from 164,5 to 168,5 feet. 





■ 151 - 


CHAPTER FOU RTEEN 
TUVAN GE MINE 

The Ravango load mine is situated near the summit of a 
NW-SE aligned range oi the Zagros Mountains in the southern 
part of Tehran 03tan. Prom a point 16 km north of Delijan 
on the Esfahan-Saveh highway *a dirt road lead oast 18 km to 
the Ravange mill and 25 km to the mine. The mill-to-mine oortlon 
of the road is tortuous and steep. 

The Ravere Company, locally managed by Engineer Gholnarageh, 
has operated this mine for the past five years. The Societe 
General das Minerals, 31 rue due Marais, Brussels, acting under 
terms of an optional agreement, is conducting exploration of 
the area by core drilling. About 4000 meters of drilling has 
been completed to date. 

The rocks of the area, consisting primarily of Middle 
Cretaceous limestones overlying dark gray shale, have undergone 
faulting and overthrusting to the extent that the strata, now 
broken into blocks, range from nearly flat-lying to steeply 
west-pitching. 

The principal ore mineral is fine-grained galena, though 
cerussite and sphalerite are present in very limited amount. 
Calcite and barite are the main gangue minerals. The galena 
occurs in scattered lenses which, in places, have been offset 
by post-mineral faults, thus presenting exceptional difficulty 
and expense in mining. The ore as mined contains 10 to 15 



percent Pb, but the degree of mineralization varies widoly. 

For Instance, lead mineralization ia especially strong 
right up to the 1imostone-shale contact in some zonoa, whereas 
other zones show a lessening of mineralization toward the base 
of the limestone, with complete barrenness at the contact. 

The ore lenses have been partially exploited throughout 
a block 200 meters long by 70 meters deep by 25 meters wide. 

Two ore lenses at the surface have been worked by open cut 
mining. The intermediate workings, consisting of open stopes 
500 to 1500 cubic meters in size are approached from a north¬ 
racing hillside through an 80-meter crosscut and a drift along 
the ore zone. The lowest workings, 70 meters below the outcrop, 
are reached by a much longer crosscut from the same hillside. 
Comnany officials estimate the indicated ore reserve at 150,000 
tons and possible ore at 500,000 tons. 

Two small tractor-compressors and one 100-hp stationary 
compressor develops air for 8 .jackhammers for blasthole drilling. 
Broken ore is trammed to the sorting area on the surface at the 
rate of about 100 tons a day. About one-fourth of this is re¬ 
jected as waste, 15 to 20 tpd are selected out as shipping ore 
with a lead content of 30 to 35 percent. The balance is stock¬ 
piled as re3ervo mill feed. Trucks transport this ore to the 
mill at the rate of about 30 tpd. The mine is operated on a 
two-shift basi3 with 40 workers per shift. Another 50 workers 
are employed in the mill, power house and other surface shops. 


153- 


making a total work force of 130. 

Electric nower, used mostly In ore milling, i3 developed 
by two die3el-driven engine-generators of 100 hp capacity 
each. Another machine of the same size Is maintained in 
operable condition for emergency service. Scarcity of water 
in the area necessitates the -impounding of mill tailings and 
the reclammation of the overflow water. Make up water is 
obtained by gravity flow from a mountain spring. 

The mill flowsheet is shown below. 


-ir>4- 


Water Storage 

X _ 


Mill-grade oro 
30 tpd 


Coarso Crusher 

70-T Coarse Or© Bin 
>1/ 

Secondary 9"xl2 M 
Jaw Crusher 
1^-inch maximum 
discharge 

I 

Belt Conveyor 

X 

25-T Fine Ore Bin 

X 

Feeder 


-*-1 

4' x 4' Ball Mill 

Sand Pump 

X 

Secondary Ball Mill- 30 M x30 ,r 

X 

Thickener 

X 

Conditioner 

I 

12-Cell Flotation Machine 

v 

¥----^ 


Tailing 

X 

Settling Vats 


X~ 

Water 

I 

Pump 


Sands 


X 

Waste 


Concentrat e 

X 

Sun-Drying Vats 

X 

Sacking 

X 

Pahlavi 










155 


CHAP T ER FIFTEEN 
ANJIREII-TIRAN MTNE 

One of the moat promising zinc-lead mines in Iran is 
the Anjireh-Tiran situated 55 km west of Esfahan. About 5 km 
west of the village of Tiran a dirt road branches north from the 
Esfahan-Daran highway and leads 4 km to the mine at the south 
base of an E-W trending mountain range. 

The writer first visited this mine in November 1959 at 
which time it was operated by the Tiran Company under the 
direction of !Dr. Niroumand, who holds the Exploitation Permit. 
Along with Dr. Niroumand, Engineer Fathi, a partner in the Bama 
Comoany, also holds a ma.lor interest and operating responsibility 
in the Anjireh-Tiran. 

The mountain range consists largely of limestone the beds 
of which trend N70°W and dip 30° to 50° NE. Near the base of the 
range is a shale bed, 30 to 40 meters thick, which is the host 
rock of the zinc-lead ore. The ore occurs in two vein-like bodies 
roughly conforming In dip and strike to the strata. The footwall 
orebody ranges from 1 to 12 meters In thickness and averages 
4 meters. Ore minerals in the FW deposits are sphalerite and 
galena, and the vein material averages about 25 percent combined 
lead and zinc In the ratio of roughly five parts zinc to one of 
lead. In places the ore grade rises well above the average, and, 
with a little hand sorting, the broken ore is readily upgraded 
to a shipping quality of 60 percent in combined metals. 




The hanging wall deposit, separated from the footwall 
orobody by 5 to 15 motors of dark gray shale, is 7 to 8 motors 
in thickness, and also assumes tho attitude of the strata. Tn 
the present shallow workings this deposit, whore oxoosed, 
contains primarily tho ore minerals of smitheonite and cerussite 
however, hemimorohito, galena and anglesite occur In lesser 
amounts. This hnnring wall zone is less compact than the foot- 
wall, and near the surface, has teen subjected to oxidation and 
doubtless to some leaching. There is strong reason to believe 
that below the water table the ore minerals would consist almost 
entirely of the sulphide type. 

In some respects the Anjireh-Tiran deposit resembles the 
Kuchke orebody. Both occur in shale, both conform generally to 
the strike and dip of the strata, and the mineralization in 
both is fine-grained, though that at Kuchke is tho finer. The 
average grade at Anjireh-Tiran is higher and the pyrite occur¬ 
rence is negligible, whereas the pyrite content at Kuchke Is 
excessive. 

The ore and principal features of the deposit are chiefly 
exposed by a 110-m drift 15 meters below the surface; but other 
workings, such as an open cut on the oast and crosscuts under¬ 
ground, help to reveal the quality, 3izo and attitude of the ore 
bodios. A 306-m crosscut lead from the haulage drift southward 
to the surface and the ore sorting area. On the surface a 
ferruginous honey-combed outcrop may be traoed 800 meters to the 
west, and local workers report having traced tho ore a full 
kilometer. 


-157- 


Tho ore is hand-trammod in mine cars to the surface where 
25 or more men are engaged in hand-sorting, stockpiling, and 
sacking the ore. Present; production is reported to be only 
300 tons per month of ore containing 60 oercont zinc and lead. 
Last year (1343) more than 6000 tons of reject containing 18 
percent combined metals was hauled to a nearby mill at the 
Khaneh-Sormeh mine for upgrading by flotation. 

This mine, if properly developed, has the potential of a 
much greater production. In fact the shallow workings and 
surface exposures indicate the possibility of reserves that 
would classify this mine among the foremost potential zinc- 
lead producers of Iran. Geophysical exploration followed by 
exploratory core drilling is recommended in advance of develop¬ 
ment work. An orebody of this quality warrants a carefully 
planned development orogram in preparation for effective 
production. 


- 158 - 


CHAPTER SIXTEEN 

SMALL PRODUCING MINES 


Ahangaran Mine 

This mine is situated 85 km northwest of Arak, just 4 km 
northeast of the Arak-Malayer highway. A dirt road, branching 
from the highway near the village of Ahangaran, leads 3 km 
to the mine camp, and extends by steep grade another kilometer 
to the mine. The camp and mine dumps, occupying prominent 
positions on the southwest slope of a NW-SE trending ridge, 
are easily visible from the highway. 

The Ahangaran area is a part of a mineralized region 
which was formerly retained by the Ministry of Industry and 
Mines for the purpose of conducting a mineral survey. At that 
time the Ahangaran area was looked upon as a possible source 
of iron ore because of the huge gossan that appears unbroken 
along the southwest flank of the ridge for a distance of 10 km. 

A more careful examination proved the gossan to be not of iron 
ore quality, and the Ahangaran area was opened to private invest 
igation. Engineer Hedari, Director, Societe Sima, Av. Chapour 
Alireza, Rue Archadi, Tehran, carried out exploration and dev¬ 
elopment work, obtained an exploitation license, and started 
the production of shipping ore in 1064. 

Limestone, shale, sandstone and gossan comprise the rock In 
the mine area. Deformation of the strata is evidenced by folds, 
crumpled beds, contortions, faults and a wide variation in 








-159- 


dips and strikes, as may bo obsorvod in underground stopo 3 . 
Commonly the sequence from base of the hill to the top is 
shale, limestone, shale, limestone, shale, gossan, sandstone, 
shale, limestone, Any of these rocks may bo gossanized. The 
gossan ranges in thickness from 5 to 50 meters, but in some 
areas it is not continuous from top to bottom. 

Galena is sparsely disseminated in the gossan, and copper 
minerals are readily conspicuous in places. Underground, the 
stopes expose ore widths up to 25 feet, and in a grade range 
of 10 to 20 percent Pb. Galena and sphalerite are commonly 
found in a thin shaloy limestone bed between shale beds or 
within the shale near or under a gossanized sandstone. Inside 
the mine the strata trend northwest and range in attitude from 
flat to a 50-degree SW dip. 

A 50-foot crosscut from the hillside Intercepts the ore 
zone near a shale- Sandstone contact. At this point a short 
drift extends northwest into a sizeable body of excellent ore, 
and another extends southeast into low grade. Above the 
northwest drift a clean fine-grained lead sulphide ore is being 
drilled and blasted from Irregular-shaped stopes. The ore Is 
hand-trammed In ore cars to the surface sorting area. The 
shipping grade ore (60-65$ Pb) is sacked and transported by 
truck to Pahlavi. Reject is hauled to the camp area whore a 
small gravity-type concentrator has bean erected. 

At a level about 100 meters below the main mine workings 


-160- 


an adit from the surface is being advanced northeast into 
the mountain to intercept ore at a greater depth. Other 
prospect pits and adits have been excavated in the gossan 
at intervals over a distance of two km. Some of these excavations 
display the presence of copper, mainly in the form of malachite, 

The entire ten-kilometer-long ridge, with its immense 
gossan, its widespread occurrence of galena in surface alluvium, 
and strong mineralization underground is looked upon by many 
as a possible reservoir of large ore reserves. Geologic mapping, 
geophysical exploration and core drilling are strongly recommended. 

Ardakan Mine 

Situated on the west flank of a N-S trending mountain 
which forms a part of a detached range of the Zagros system 
this deposit may be reached by proceeding on the Ardakan-Yazd 
highway 10 km south from Ardakan, thence east by prairie road 
17 km to the mine. 

A concession to operate this mine was held by Engineer 
Nazemi from Persian Year 1333 (1954) to 1341 (1962). During 
this period Nazemi operated the mine sporadically and carried 
on important development and exploratory activities. In 1962 
Nazemi sold his operating permit to Siniran Company of Tehran. 

The latter company under the management of Engineer Rastegar 
continued exploration, and increased production in 1963. Mine 
production in 1964 was more than 3000 tons of marketable ore. 





-161- 


The mountain consists primarily of limestone which in 
places, and particularly in the vicinity of the mine, is 
highly ailicified. The strike of the bedding planes is E-W 
an<3 the dip is about 25°N, In the western part of the 
mineralized area carbonate ore appears to be localized in a 
2-meter-wide vein-like body along an E-W aligned fault. However, 
about 130 meters east of the main portal a labyrinth of ex¬ 
cavations reveal 3mithsonite and cerussite in almost all of the 
walls over a width of 40 meters. Mineralization continues 
strong for 25 meters up to a N-S trending structural break 
which displays a black soap-like material of unknown thickness. 
The mine foreman believed this to be a non-mineralized shale 
bed, and discontinued all exnloratory excavations at this break. 
The writer, hox^ever, believes the material to be fault gouge 
and recommended that the exploration drifts be advanced through 
the material in the prospect of finding ore on the other side. 

At a point 80 meters inside the mine a vertical winze 
extends to a depth of 42 meters. The mine is equipped with a 
small electric hoist and bucket for removal of broken ore from 
the lower workings. Ore is transferred from drift faces to 
the winze bottom by wheel-borrows, and trammed by ore cars from 
the top of the winze to the surface at the main haulage level. 

Far up on tho hillside, 94 meters above the winze bottom, 
the near-surface zone of tho eastern block has been explored 


- 102 - 


by another network of excavations which also exoosed pood ore. 
Hence, a block 25 meters long by 40 meters wide by 94 meters 
deoo is indicated. Also a block 80 meters long by 2 meters 
wide by 40 meters deep has been exoosed in the vein-like body. 
Estimated ore reserves are </T25 x 40 x 94) ♦ (2 x 80 x 40 )J x 
3.3 • 330,000 metric tons, approx. 

The estimated average grade is 25$ zinc and 15$ lead. 

Mined ore is sorted into four products as follows: 

1. Lead ore containing 51$ Pb and 6$ Zn* 

2. Calcined zinc ore containing 55$ Zn, 

3. Lead-zinc ore containing 15$ Pb and 30$ Zn, 

4. Lead-zinc ore containing 12$ Pb and 15$ Zn. 

Products 1 and 2 are sold to Russian ore buyers at Pahlavi. 
Product 3 is calcined at Khorramshahr and shipped to Europe, 
Product 4 is upgraded in a concentrator at Khaneh Sormeh mine 
and sold as lead ore. 

Since neither horizontal or vertical limits of the orebody 
have been ascertained important reserves outside the 300,000- 
ton estimate are thought probable, A vertical 2-compartment 
shaft is being excavated from the toe of the east slope to the 
winze bottom level in order to facilitate more efficient mining. 

Tarz - Mine 

Tarz zinc-lead mine, situated near the village of Ravar 
in Kerman Ostan is 290 km by a noorly maintained dirt road 
southeast of Yazd and 170 km southeast of Bafg. Exololtatioi 




-163- 


lic6113 6 No. 202/123/9030 dated IChordad 11, 1337, la held by 
the Yazd Metals Company whose office address is No. 47, Saraye 
Sina, Khiaban BouaarJomeri, Tehran. 

Mineralization, localized in one limestone hill with N-S 
orientation, is limited on four cardinal points by important 
faults. While the trend of the ore is N-S, parallel to the 
strike of the strata, mieralization is especially strong near 
a vertical fault aligned normal to the bedding planes. High 
quality sphalerite-galena ore persists to the very edge of the 
stope where it breaks off abruptly against barren limestone. 

Rich carbonate ore, cerussite, was mined in ancient times 
from "gopher hole" excavations from the surface. The excellence 
of the ore is indicated by the quality of material left in 
near-surface pillars. The present workings, where only sulphide 
ore is exposed, are entered by a 70- meter crosscut from the 
hillside surface. Some stopes are on the crosscut level, 
directly right or left. Others above are entered from the 
crosscut by stone stairways carved in the limestone. The ore 
is drilled by hand-held air-driven jackhammers and blasted 
onto the stope floor. It is shovelled into passages to the 
crosscut and transported to the sorting shed at the surface. 

The lump ore is removed by hand, and the balance is separated 
by screening to various sizes appropriate for upgrading by 
hand-operated jigs, each suited to a particular particle 
size. Lump ore and shipping-grade concentrate normally 


-164 


contain about 25 peroent lead and 45 percent zinc. This 
mixture, lead and zinc ore together, Is sold to the Imperial 
Smelting Corp., Avonmouth, England, 

Khaneh - Sormeh Mine 

This Is a government-operated lead mine situated 40 km 
west of Esfahan and 7 km nofth of Hajiabad, a village on the 
Esfahan-Daran highway. It was discovered by Engineer Pahti 
when employed by the GOI about 1328. 

Galena, occurring as a replacement mineral in fractured 
limestone, Is localized along the south wall of a nearly 
vertical fault which trends N70°E throughout most of its length 
of about 300 meters. Near its west end the fault curves sharply 
north, and it is this part of the mine that is yielding much 
of the present mine output. In previous years the bulk of the 
ore came from a zone more centrally located along the N 70°E 
segment of the fault as evidenced by open cuts. These cuts are 
10 to 20 meters wide and occur at irregular intervals along 
the fault zone for a full distance ol about 200 meters. 

The Khaneh Sormeh has been axplored on three levels at 
14-meter vertical intervals. No ore was found on the lowest 
level and it is used only for ore haulage. The intermediate 
level, 150 m long, intercepted at 40 m a block of lead ore 
roughly 10 m x 10 m x 8 m in size. All other ore, during the 
15 years of operation from 1329 to 1343, has come from the 
upper level and open outs at higher elevations on the hillside. 





- 165 - 


The mine produces 20 tpd of crude ore from which about 
i ton of 60^o lead ore is hand sorted. The balance, reduced 
by crusher and rolls to mill feed size, is upgraded on 
concentrating tables. The reject from these tables, containing 
4j to 5 % Pb, is retreated in a nearly flotation plant operated 
by the Simiran Company. The entire operation ires 60 men 

working one shift daily. 

This mine, because of apparent limited reserves, offers 
little promise of high productivity. 

Hoseinabad Mine 

This mine is 50 km southwest of Ghomein and 22 km south¬ 
east of the Lakan mine at an elevation of 2250 meters above 
sea level. Opened ages ago by miners seeking the mineral 
cerussite from which lead could be reduced by the smelting 
practices of ancient times, the mine remained unworked until 
Persian Year 1333. Then an operating license was issued to 
Nasser Mustabai, a resident of Khanabad, a farm village situated 
about midway between the Hoseinabad and Lakan mines. During 
the past two years, 1342 and 1343, the mine has been in 
continuous operation. 

An elongatod mineralized zone trends N70°S in siliclfied 
limestone which is underlain by shale and shaley limestone. 

The limestone host rock is interlayered with thick bands of 
barren sill rock of intermediate composition. Mineralization 
in the principal development drift appears strong up to the 
base of the igneous sill rock whore if onda abruptly. In 




- 166 - 


one stope lead-zinc ora has been mined to a width of 7 meters 
and a depth of 10 meters. A winze ha3 been excavated all in 
ore to a depth of 8 meters below the stope floor. The atoped 
area is 100 meters in length, and mineralization has been 
exposed another 40 meter3 by the continuation of drifting 
southwest• 

Another drift at a level 27 meters below the main working 
level has been advanced S 70°W from the surface of a gently 
northeast-sloping hill 160 meters to a point about 30 meters 
northeast of the northeast extremity of the upper main workings. 
The drift face shows limited amounts of galena, sphalerite 
and oyrite in a calcareous shale. This drift, in co-alignment 
with the upper drift, if advanced another 30 meters, should 
penetrate the downward extension of the main orebody. It 
seems that this bit of development has been delayed, according 
to management, due to a lack of rails and ore cars. 

Moderately coar3t»-grained galena and sphalerite occur in 
about equal amounts as they appear by visual inspection; how¬ 
ever, a 9000-ton stockpile of broken ore is said to contain 
about 18 percent lead and 14 percent zinc. This reserve, from 
which high-grade load ore has been hand sorted, represents 
the bulk of the production for the past 10 years. The management 
hopes for an opportunity to upgrade thia ore into marketable 
concentrate at the nearby Lakan mill at such time as enough 
ore is produced in the Hhomein district to warrent the Lakan 


-167- 


mill operation. At present 70 workers extract about 12 tons 
of crude ore daily from which they sort out 4 or 5 tons of 
shipping ore containing 40 to 45 percent Pb. This lead ore 
is sacked and hauled to Pahlavi where the seller receives 
about 8000 rials per ton from the Russian ore-buyers. 

The Hoseinabad, as now developed, indicated reserves of 
50,000 tons or more, but further exploration to the southwest 
and northeast in line with the trend of the exposed ore Is 
strongly recommended. Siliceous breccia, a favorable host 
for lead and zinc in the area, is found in the float rock 
to the southwe31, and galena has been found in trenches 
across the northeast projection of the prebody. It is quite 
possible however, that the ore is terminated at a shallow 
depth by a thick shale bed believed to underly the host limestone. 

Abbaghcordle h Mine 

This mine is 28 km southeast from Shahreza in mountainous 
country at an elevation of 2388 meters above sea level. It 
may be reached by proceeding southeast dT the Semiran road 14 
km beyond Ghasreham and thence right 1 km to the mine. The mine 
is operated by Sherkate Sahami Maadan-e-Shahreza. Mr, Fuladi 
of Shahreza is the manager. 

Galena occurs as replacement lenses in limestone near the 
contact of limestone and shale. Limestone overlies the shale 
and the 3 trata appear to dip about 16 dogroes N. These are 
elongated vein-like lenses with a NW-3E trend. Workings expose 




-168- 


3 mineralized areas in a distance of 300 meters. 

The most extensive workings are at the cental deposit 
where a 40-m crosscut from the surface leads south to old 
workings and a 90-meter tunnel to the southeast. The latter 
excavation has been advanced in the direction of the most 
westerly deposit, and if extended, would undercut the outcrop 
20 meters below the surface. 

The only openings to the westerly deposit are a 7-meter 
vertical shaft and 35-meter southwest-trending crosscut from 
the surface. 

In the eastern part of the mining area exploratory ex¬ 
cavations branch out from a 40-meter southeasterly-trending 
crosscut from the surface. Two E-W-trending orebodies 37 
meters apart were each explored by 20-meter drifts. A south 
trending crosscut from the more northerly drift reveals ore 
for another 20 meters and terminates at a 40-meters winze in 
which some ore was encountered. Further south fall* lead 
mineralization has been exposed near the surface by shallow 
pits and open cuts. 

The run-of-mine ore, averaging about 6 percent Pb, is 
upgraded in a small mill equipped with crusher, screens, ball 
mill, two tables and a pump. Last year the mine produced 70 
tons of 67$ lead ore and concentrate. 

Siakuh Mine 


The Siakuh mine, operated for the past 12 years by the 




- 169 - 


Annralc Metals Company, under management of Mr. Amui In Tehran 
i3 situated on the west slope of a low mountain range 95 km 
southeast of Anarak* The road from Anarak Is In bad condition 
and the trip ono way requires 4 hours or more by motor vehicle. 

Fine-grained galena occurs in shattered limestone along 
a prominent fault that shows a consistent trend of N 40°B and 
a dip of 60° NW. Mineralization is said to extend 6 km, but 
the old and new workings are confined to 1-| km. At the south¬ 
west end of the mined area the fault splits, so that a branch 
from the main fault maintains a N-S trend for several hundred 
meters, then bends ENE to rejoin the main N40°E-fault at the 
northeast end of the ore zone. Thus, a large lense-shaped 
limestone block, mostly barren of metallic minerals, is ap¬ 
parently down-thrown with respect to the surrounding rocks. 

A basic intrusive, in contact with the sediments at places in 
the mine and on the surface, may have influenced ore deposition 
in the area. The mine is opended by a drifft along the mineraliz¬ 
ed fault. The ore width is J- to 1-J- meters. At a point 120m 
Inside, a raise had been excavated 30 m in ore, and at 200 m 
inside a wide vein had been mined out above the drift. A 50-m 
winze beneath thl3 3tope was entirely in ore, as was a 30-m 
drift from the winze bottom. In a large stope on the east 
aide of the main drift the mineralization is found on both sides 
of a N-S fracture and along an intrusive limestone contact for 
a width of 12 motors. The contact alignment at this point is 


- 170 - 


normal to the fracture. The Siakuh is made of many such 
lenses. At one place an ancient stope IP to in motors wide 
was mined 80 meters on an incline to surface. 

The mine affords employment to 120 workers who extract 
30 to 40 tpd of crude ore containing 5 to 8 percent of lead. 
The workers hand sort the shipping grade ore from the crude 
and nass the reject to a crusher and screens. Three Screen 
sizes, (1) plus 5/8-inch, (2) plus l/4-inch minus 5/8-inch, 
and (3) minus |-inch are upgraded respectively by coarse- 
feed jigs, fine-feed jigs, and tables. The hand sorted ore 
together with the jig and table concentrates amount to 3^- to 
4 tpd containing 45 oercent lead. 


-171 


CHAPTER SEVENTEEN 
NON-PRODUCING MINES 

Shah All Beglu Mine 

This mine Is situated near the southern border of 
Azerbaijan Ostan about 70 km north of Zanjan. It may be reached 
by proceeding northwest 60.km from Zanjan on the Zanjan-Tabrlz 
highway to a point near the village of Sharsham, then north¬ 
east 58 km by dirt road to Shah All Beglu. The mining concession 
is held by Ivan Tosharian who has devoted the oast eight years 
to developing the mine and erecting a concentrating plant. 

The country rock of this area, a hard gray andesite of 
columnar structure, is incised to a depth of 250 to 300 meters 
by a swift east-flowing stream. The walls of the canyon rise 
steeply, and the mine, situated at the canyon bottom, is 
approached by a meandering foot trail of many switch backs. 

Five narrow lead-zinc veins are exposed In the canyon bottom 
within a distance of 200 meters. Only one vein has been 
developed. It is opened by a vertical shaft from which a 
drift at the 20-meter depth has been excavated 65 meters 
north and 75 meters south. The drift, normal to the stream 
flow, undercuts the canyon floor and follows the trend of the 
vein north and south of the shaft. 

Galena, sphalerite and chalcopyrite occur with quartz In 
a vertical vein of 63-cm width which, by systematic sampling, 
indicates the following average content: 12.3 fJifcn, Pb, 1,0$ Cu 







and 6 oz/T of Ag, Tho oro ha a bnen at oped 40 motors along 
the vein to an average height of IP me ter a above the 3outh 
drift floor. 

Equipment is lowered from the upper rim to the canyon 
bottom by an areal cableway. The mine plant is ecmipped 
with two generators of 42-and 22-horseoower capacity each, 

3 compressors, crusher, screens, bucket elevator, rolls, 
jigs and tables. 

Thirty ^ive men are emoloyed at the mine all of whom 
were engaged in assembling the mill equipment at the time 
the plant was visited in Hay 1965. Mr, Tosharian expects 
to produce a bulk concentrate containing about 20 percent 
lead, 30 percent zinc, 2 oercent copper and 15 oz/T of silver 
which would be hauled by truck to the railroad station at 
Sharsham. 

Aigheleseh Mine 

The Aigheleseh lead-zinc mine is in Azerbaijan Ostan 
75 km in direct line west-southwest of Zanjan and 180 km 
by dirt road this railpoint. The mine is situated in 
mountainous country about 3 km north of the small village of 
Aigheleseh at an elevation of 25 60 meters above sea level. 

By motor vehicle the mine may be reached by proceeding 87 km 
southwest from Zanjan on the Zanjan-Bijar highway, thence 
10 km northwest on the Angouran mine road, thence westward 




-173- 


and northwestward over a tortuous ungraded road 83 km to the 
mine. This last 83 km portion, adequate for dry weather 
travel only, could be shortened by 50 km with the construction 
of two bridges and 12 km of prairie road. 

Load-bearing outcrops were found in the Aigheleseh vicinity 
in Persian Year 1330 by British engineers employed by the 
Iranian Government. An operating concession was obtained 
by Messrs, Malikshahi and Beheshti. Limited development 
work on No.l Ore Vein was carried out intermittently over a 
7-year period under the direction of Mr. Varfan. This work 
was eventually stooped due to severe weather and inadequate 
financing. In 1337 Engineer Zolfaghari purchased the operating 
rights for a reported price of 700,000 toman. Zolfaghari 
opened up No.2 Ore Vein and carried on mining activities 
intermittently for the next three years. 

No.l Vein, outcropping on a gentle southeast slope, 
trends N 30°E and is nearly vertical in attitude. This vein 
pinches and swells, but has an estimated average width of 0.5 
meters. The host rock is limestone which shows scattered 
occurrences of hedenbergite and veinlets of calcite. The ore 
vein consists of quartz, galena, sphalerite and pyrite. 

A west-trending crosscut from the surface intercepts the 
No.l Vein at 83 meters. This vein has been explored by a 
drift extending 120 m southwest and 95 meters northeast of 
the crosscut. The vein has been mined from drift level to the 


- 174 - 


surf ace, a vertical distance of 35 meters* A grab sample 
of stockpiled run-of-mine ore was found to contain 2.4C 
peroont lead and 17,22 percent zinc. 

No,2 Vein, consisting essentially of the same minerals 
aa No.l Vein, trends N 20°E and, dipping 55° NW, cuts through 
flat layers of sandstone. Also cutting through the sandstone 
is a band of light gray intrusive rock, possibly rhyolite, 
which has undergone premineral brecciation. The vein pinches 
and swells along its strike, so that the width of mineralized 
vein material ranges from 5 cm to 5 m, and in places, there 
are two roughly parallel mineralized veins separated by a meter 
or more of gangue* The vein walls are well defined, and 
mineralization is strong, showing both lead and zinc in coarse¬ 
grained clean sulphides. 

The No,2 Vein has been developed from an adit on a north¬ 
east hillslope by a 260-m southwest-trending crosscut to the 
vein, then by a drift along the vein 60 m northward and 30 m 
southward* In places the ore has been mined to a height of 
30 m on the dip. A resuing method, in which broken ore of 
mill-grade quality was left in the stope, permitted actual 
sacking of highgrade in the stope* An estimated 5000 tons of 
mill grade ore is stockpiled in the stopes and on the surface. 

Three samples collected from No,2 Vein were analyzed as 
follows; 


Percent 



Location 

Pb 

Zn 


Stope N of X-cut 



1 

0,6 m across H.W. vein 

22.44 

15.82 




- 175 - 


Porcont 

Locati on Pb Zn 

Stop© N of X-cut 

2. 0.4 m across FW vein 29.07 10.49 

Stop© S of X-cut 

3. 0.0 m 5. 46 20.52 

At the time of the visit, May 1961, 40 men wore employed, 

94 inside the workings on No.2 vein and 16 outside. The normal 
daily ©reduction was 6 tons of crude ore from which 2 tons of 
shipping ore was sorted. The high grade lead ore was hauled by 
truck to Pahlavi and sold to Russian ore-buyers. 

The excessively expensive haul, limited working season and 
inadequate development necessitated cessation of operation in 
1341. However, an improved more direct trucking route, the 
adoption of an orderly development program, and the provision of 
a small concentrating plant could, with present metal prices, 
be expected, under competent management, to form the necessary 
ground-work for a profitable operation. 

Fassakhood Mine 

Situated 12 km by road west of Fassakhood village and 75 km 
in a direct line northeast of Isfahan are the Fassakhood deposits, 
one on each side of a small canyon. Those lead deposits have 
been explored and partially developed in recent years by the 
Flor Company, under the management of Iiassan 6odehi, who has 
also erected a 3 mall concentrating plant 10 km down stream from 


the mine 





-17G- 

Tho rollon In the immodiato vicinity of the mino is formed 
by a sorie3 of alternate limestone and shale bods with slight 
northerly dips. Downstream, about 3 kilometers from the mino, 
basic to intermediate volcanics aro exposed over a wide area. 

The mineralization, consisting of galena, barite, calcite 
and quartz is not knot^n anywhere in the mine area to extend into 
the shale. The darker limestones, nerhaps dolomitic, are 
particularly peppered throughout with blebs and specks of galena 
in the size range of amillimetor to a half centimeter. Silicifica- 
tion is common in the mineral-bearing zones, and barite is 
especially abundant. Oblong orebodies ranging in thickness from 
3 to 8 meters are typical of hydrothermal replacement deposits. 

Near the top of the east ridge coarse-grained galena occurs 
in limestone along a fracture :'one with a trond of N 20°W and an 
attitude nearly vertical. The orebody, exposed by an open cut, 
is 70 meters long and 3 to 8 meters wide. In addition to the 
disseminated ore, this surface working has yielded chunks of 
almost massive galena 20 to 30 cm in diameter. 

At a level 40 meters belov; the east hill top a crosscut 
has been driven from the surface NOO^E through shale and limestone 
a distance of 80 meters to intercept the ore zone. Short ex¬ 
ploratory drifts and crosscuts in the ore show again a mineraliz¬ 
ed width of 3 to 8 meters. The ora is disseminated, and as in 
the west area, appears to favor cortain limestone beds. Unlike 
the west-side deposits, however, barite occurrence is rare, and 


-177- 


silicification is loss common in t.ho underground workings. Tho 
indicated trends of the mineralized zones (N20°v; on the east 
hill and N20°E on the west hill) suggest a slight possibility 
of their junction in limestone beds below the valley to the north. 

Near the toe of the east hill a third mineralized fracture 
zone has been explored by a drift in which a limited area shows 
disseminated galena in similar distribution as at the end of the 
80-meters cross-cut. In general, the fractured structure in a 
calcareous environment offers a fair oossibility for new ore 
discoveries in the area. 

The Flor Company officials place the average grade of ore 
between five and six percent lead. A reserve of 50,000 metric 
tons is indicated by the east workings alone. 

Gardanehshir Mine 

This lead mine is 80 KM ENE of Esfahan and about 22 km NE 
of Zefreh at an elevation of 2415 m above sea level. The mining 
concession is held by Prince Mahmoud-Reza Pahlavi, brother of 
His Majesty, the Shahinshah. 

Fine-grained galena occurs as a reolacement along a netwrok 
of fractures in blocky limestone* Several low-grade orebodies 
consisting of disseminated galena in limestone occupy an area 
about 500 meters in length north to south and 200 meters wide 
east to west, but lead mineralization is most in evidence along 
a N30°W-trending fracture system. 






178 - 


Tho deposit has been worked by an open cut from a north 
hillside, and by drifts and "gopher hole"-type excavations 
underground. The cut is circular with a diameter of 10 meters 
and a depth of 12 meters. The open-cut walls show a low-grade 
are in places, some of the galena occurring as fracture filling 
and some between fractures as reolacement in the limestone. A 
crosscut from an east hillside at 70 meters below the open-cut 
floor trends S70°W 150 meters toward the presumed downward 
nro,lection of the ore zone. At this level only 2 meters of ore 
were encountered. A transfer raise from this crosscut connects 
with the open cut. 

The mine has not been systematically sampled, and, due to 
the erratic distribution of galena no attempt is made to estimate 
the reserve tonnage or average grade. 

Broken ore has been stockpiled in a hillside dump and kept 
in reserve as feed to a 100-tpd-capacity concentrating mill, the 
erection of which was delayed several ^ears during the search 
for a dependable source of water 

Darreh Zanjlr Mine 

The Darreh Zanjir mine is 5 km southwest of Yazd. License 
for its oxoloitation has been held for the past 15 years by 
Meshahr Mining Company an affiliate of the Parjam Construction 
Company with main office at 591 Bast Takhte Jamshid, Tehran. 

Mr. Jabed Rashti is the managing diroctor, and Engineer Zen T nl 
is the mine manager at tho Yazd office. 





-179- 


Lond and zinc 'Mineralization occur In fracture zones In a 
NE-SW trending band of dolomite. The ore appears In places to 
have boon deposited as fissure filling, while in others the ore 
shoots are irregular-snaped replacement bodies in dolomite. 

The principal orebody is a 50-m-long shoot carrying cerussite 
to a width of 1 to 2 meters. This shoot has boon worked upward 
from a main tram level by irregular stopes and downward by under¬ 
hand stoping a depth of 40 meters on the incline. During the 
years 1950 to 1952 the Company produced from this shoot about 
50 tons a day of sorted oxidized ore containing 50 oorcent lead. 
Another ore shoot 250 m away consists of smithsonite And 
calamine in the dolomite. Ore from the latter shoot, during 
the former production period, contained about 40 percent zinc 
as mined and sorted, and was subsequently calcined in brick ovens 
to more than 50 percent Zn. 

A single-comoartment vertical shaft extends from mine plant 
level to a depth of 65 meters. The Company plans to deeoen this 
3 haft 60 meters, hopefully to penetrate the sulphide zone. A 
500-meter crosscut was excavated from the surface toward the 
shaft with the intend of connecting and using the crosscut for 
the purpose of ventilation, exploration and transportation. 

Ore as formerly mined is said to have averaged 20 to 25 
percent combined load and zinc. During G years of operation 
the Company shipped about 25,000 tons containing 60 to 65 percent 
Pb and stockpiled about 60,000 tons of run-of-mine ore. The 
mine was closed in 1958, but reopened early in 1965 both for 


- 100 - 


exrdoration and exploitation, 

ZIrakan Mine 

The Zirakan mine le 40 km north of the Kouchke mine and 
110 km oast of Yazd. The distance by road from Yazd is about 
180 km. The mine concession is held by the Simiran Company, 

732 Saadi Ave., Tehran, 

The Zirakan consists of two unconnected workings, the 
South mine and the North mine. In the vicinity of the South 
mine the deposit manifests itself by a strong gossan at the 
contact of a green altered rock with calcareous shale. Lead 
ore, mostly of the carbonate type at the base of the gossan has 
been excavated by open cut 35 meters longitudinally to depths 
of 4 to 8 meters. The open cut is entered at its southeast end 
by a 70-meter open trench aligned N55°W. The open cut is 5 to 
6 meters wide, and exposes along its side walls oro containing 
8 oercent lead. 

A vertical shaft extends 60 meters below the bottom of the 
open cut and exnoses 50 meters of 6-to 7-percent ore. Beyond 
the 35-meter cut underground excavations by ancient minors 
extend to unknown depths, A west-trending trench extends another 
30 meters beyond the open cut, and exooses a narrow band of 
carbonate ore. 

Surface oxoosures near the ea3t side of the North mino 
indicate that the green altcsrod rock plunges bonoath the gossan 
and sediments. This is verified by North mine workings which 




- 181 - 


penetrate this type of rock 60 motors below the surface. 

Fractures and fissures are abundant In the mineralized zone. 

New workings at the North mine consist of a 2-compartment 
50-meter vertical shaft and a crosscut extending S50°W 120 meters 
from the shaft bottom to the ore zone. The shaft and crosscut 
were Intended to give access ’to the zone beneath the old workings, 
but, as the latter had greater depth than originally estimated, 
the new crosscut penetrated the old workings, nonetheless. A 
vertical winze from a side drift was then excavated to a depth 
of 22 meters from which a crosscut was advanced into ore contain¬ 
ing 20 percent in lead. 

Old stopes and new workings at the North mine indicate 
that lead mineralization occurs in at least four gently dipping 
lenses of 20-to-30 percent lead ore, separated vertically from 
each other by 7 to 10 meters of material containing 5-to 6-percent 
lead. Inasmuch as the lowermost lense at 80 meters below the 
surface underlies two lenses exposed in series in the winze, and 
an old stoped-out lense, the original existence of continuous 
mineralization to the surface has been proved. 

Broken ore in the old 3topes ia estimated at 200,000 tons 
containing 6 oercent lead. Another 200,000 tons containing 
4.85 percent lead (based on pit sampling) is stockpiled at the 
surface. This is a reserve of sulphide ore, and, since water 
is available at the Zirakan camp, the Company entertains pian3 
for the erection of a 100-ton flotation mill to upgrade the 


stockoilod ore 


- 182 - 


Small lots of hand sorted ore are occumulnted periodicolly 
from small-scale mine operations, 

Tajkuh Mine 

The Tajkuh mine is situated 220 km southeast of Yazd and 
100 km southeast of Bafg in the Kuh-e-Banan area. The mining 
concession is hold by the Felezzate Yazd Company at 47 Saraya 
Sina, Khiaban Bouzarjomehri, Tehran. 

Much of the mining at this deposit was performed by "ancient 
miners", an indefinitely categorized group of exploiters who 
left behind a maze of excavations in almost every important lead 
deposit in Iran* At Tajkuh, a3 at many other Iranian mines, 
they followed the ore downward in a series of connected stopes. 

In one of these stopes, measuring 7 meters wall to wall and 25 
meters in length, they left behind a large amount of broken ore 
estimated to average 12 percent in lead. 

Galena and sphalerite occur in limestone in vein-like deposits, 
which in places appear as two roughly parallel orebodies seoarate- 
ed by 5 meters of nearly barren limestone. 

New development of recent years consists of a 50 meters 
vertical shaft in the footwall, a 45-meter crosscut through two 
narrow vertical veins 6 meters apart, a 25-meter drift in the 
hanging wall, and a short crosscut back to the ore. Unfortunately 
these workings are at the water level, the depth also reached 
by the ancient miners and, therefore, not revelant of new in¬ 
formation about the deposit. 




-183- 


Indicated rosorves are quite limited but the Company 
haa ronowod work at the mine In the past year* The manager, 

Mr* Tabataboi, expresses encouragement from rocont exploration 
and development and a do3ire to explore by core drilling. 

Ahwanu Lead Mine 

The Ahwanu lead mine may be reached by proceeding north 
34 km from Damghan over a prairie road to Ahwanu village and 
thence ij km west to the mine. The Cheame-All Rud flows 
through the village. The mine concession is held by a Mr.Mansoor 
of Tehran. 

Here also moderately strong load mineralization occurs 
along a fracture zone in limestone. Galena, along with minor 
amounts of chalcopyrite, pyrite and pyrrhotite, has been exposed 
intermittently by shallow excavations over a longitudinal distance 
of 700 meters. The width of the orebody most commonly observed 
is about 2 meters. The trend of the ore is roughly N-S and the 
dip is steeply east. The galena, in most places, occurs as 
replacement of the cementing material in fault braccia. While 
it appears that some of the ore is high enough in lead content 
to be sorted for shipping ore, the great biliihk of material is 
only suitable for mill feed. Concentration would be an essential 
step in the successful exploitation of this orebody. 

The upper workings consist of an adit-crosscut of 20 m, a 
drift to the north of 10 m in ore, a 30-m vertical winze and a 
3-m drift to the south in ore. The winze is reported to have 
yielded ore containing 30-percent lead. At one place a stope 





-104- 


exuoses a 5-m width of average ore. Good lead ore la exposed 
at many place along the surface. 

Four samples were collected and analyzed as follows: 


Sample No. 

Location 

%?b 

%Zn 

WSW No.92 

Across 2m in N cut 

5.26 

2.06 

WSW No.93 

M l£ in middle cut 

9.93 

1.52 

VSW No.94 

” 2m in S cut 

22.43 

4.93 

VSW No.95 

” 0,5 m in pit below 

level of upper working 

20.34 

0.71 


This deoosit Is aligned roughly parallel to a very steep 
N-S trending moountainside, and because of Its proximity to the 
face of this cliff, the downward projection of the ore deposit 
could be readily explored at prairie level, 125 meters, or more, 
below the outcrop, by a short adit crosscut driven normal to 
the trend of the ore. Such an opening could also be utilized 
in ore extraction. At this particular deposit exploration by 
crosscuts and drifts would likely be less expensive and more 
satisfactory from the standpoint of visual investigation than 
diamond drilling. If these proposed excavations should reveal 
ore similar to the upper exposures the reserves at Ahwanu would 
be adequate to supply feed to a 50-tpd mill for several years. 

If ore similar to that revealed by the unper workings can be 
exposed at the orairie level a mining-milling operation should 
prove profitable. V f ater for mill operation would have to be 
pumped from the Chesme-Ali Run, 




■ 185 - 


Charlas eh Mine 

The Charlaaeh mine may be reached by proceeding east from 
Esfahan 50 lan on the Esfahan-Nain highway to the village of 
Sagai, thence by prairie road northeast 34 km to the mine* 

The operating concession has been held for the past five years 
by Simiran Company of Tehran. 

Smithsonite, cerussite and siderite, occurring in flat- 
bedded limestone, are prominently exposed 50 meters longitud¬ 
inally and to an average thickness of 3 meters along the west 
face of a steeply sloping hillside. Excavations of 10 to 15 
meters into the hillside indicate a flattening of the deposit 
and a termination of mineralization at the face of the excav¬ 
ations. Fractures are quite pronounced in the cliff face. 

In the first half of 1965 the mine yielded 300 tons of 
lead-zinc ore, but due to limitations in ore reserves mining 
operations are being discontinued. The produced ore, containing 
about 9 percent lead and 20 percent zinc, was transported to 
the Khaneh Sorraeh mill for upgrading. 

Faiziabad Mine 

This mine , situated 10 km northwest of Nain, was opened 
and worked intermittently for two years by a Mr, Akbari. Early 
in 1965 the Simiran Company bought the operating permit from 
Akbari, and started development work. A vertical shaft was 
excavated and timbered to a depth of 50 meters to accomodate 
ore removal by gasoline-powered engine-hoist and ore bucket. 

A crosscut on the 50-meter level has been advanced southwest 
60 meters. 





- 186 - 


Tho ore occurs in two parallel NV/-SE trending veins 
with dips of 75 to 80 degrees SV. The country rock i3 an 
intensely compressed limestone with no apparent regularity 
in strike and dip. The veins are one to two meters thick 
and about 20 motors apart# The more northeasterly vein has 
been intercepted on the 50-meter level, and reveals a thickness 
of 1.8 meters in low-grade oxidized material# The crosscut is 
being advanced to intercept the southwesterly and larger vein# 


PART THREE 


RECOMMENCED 


MINING PRACTICES 










-187- 


CHAPTER EIGHTEEN 

EXPLORING FOR LEAD AND ZINC DEPOSITS 


The rocks that make up the framework of Iran's mountain 
systems are mostly devoid of soil and vegetation, and, for 
thousands of years, have been exposed to the eyes of every man 
who has had occasion to walk over them. For this reason the 
visual search for unknown mineral outcrops, except in the most 
remote area, holds little chance for success. On the other hand, 
the writer believes that geophysical and mechanical exploration 
can be highly successful in the discovery of unexposed orebodies 
In zones underlying alluvium covered plains and valleys, especially 
those adjacent to areas of known mineralization. Other prospects 
for mineral occurrence are hidden extensions of known orebodies, 
deposits unconnected but structually-related to known orebodies, 
and ore deposits underlying gossanized fracture zones and breccia 
zones. Also zones immediately above or below the contact of un- 
conformable calcareous sediments are considered favorable loci 
for lead and zinc deoosits. Such minerals as quartz, calcite, 
barite and siderite may sometimes lead to discovery of lead and 
zinc minerals. 

In Iran, however, discoveries are Improbable without subsurface 
exploration. Therefore, the search for lead and zinc deposits 
In this country is not a low-cost procedure. If an area, after 
cursory examination, is found to display criteria for unexposed 
ore, four rather costly stages of exploration may follow in 



-1PB- 


oonsecutive order as warranted. These are geologic mapping, 
geophysical prospecting, core drilling, and evaluating. 

Geologic Mapping: 

Exploration activities are confined to boundaries defined 
by concession maps which the mining laws require. In Iran the 
accuracy of such maps may be controversial because there is no 
public survey with which to relate their authenticity. Since 
no cadastral survey has been made in Iran disputes may arise 
due to conflicting concession descriptions. Lacking descriptive 
ties to legal monuments and references to established lines of 
a public survey the concessionaire cannot enjoy the assurance 
of absolute location accuracy. Land clots and mineral con¬ 
cessions are commonly tied to such impermanent markers as 
statues in village squares, road intersections, public buildings, 
or even the corners of walled lots. A growing complication in 
the description of land titles and mining concessions brings 
increasingly nearer the day when a public land survey in Iran is 
mandatory. 

Topographical maps, showing all surface features as well 
as the outlines of underground excavations, are commonly used 
as working plats on which reproductions of the geology is emplaced. 
They show the relative elevation of underground levels and 
surface positions, and are highly useful in the nreparation of 
geologic sections. 







- 189 - 


floologic maps, both in plan and vortical section, are 
highly effective in the control of physical exoloration of a 
mineralized zone; and conversely, exposures of rock types and 
sequences by excavation and coring are oositive guides in mapping. 

In suDoort of the latter assertion, the history of mineral 
exploration, the world over, is replete with examples in which 
the diamond drill has undeniably altered the examining geologists 
original concept of an orebody, and this has been found equally 
true in the exploration of Iran’s lead and zinc deposits. Since 
a detailed comprehensive geologic mapping of an area may require 
one to several months the ideal arrangement seems to be one in 
which geologic mapping is started .slightly ahead of drilling, 
or subsurface excavating, and continued thruout the full period 
of exploration, thus directing benefit to each activity. 

Mapping of geochemical and geophysical surveys is a specialized 

service which has been rarely emnloyed in Iran. These depict 
lines of equal intensity of chemical, electrical, magnetic, or 
seismic surveys, and define zones of high and low magnitude, i.e., 
anomolies, or scientific guides in delineating subsequent ex¬ 
ploratory work. The benefit of such activity is exemplified In 
the mapping of the induced polarization survey which guided 
subsequent drilling at the Mehdiabad lead-zinc deposit. 

Underground mine maps , supplemented by details of geology 
and assay results of systematic sampling, are extremely im¬ 
portant In establishing the trend, dip, width and Indicated grade 
of an orebody. If developed on more than one lovol the ex- 








- 190 - 


ploration engineer la guided by the changes in character of ore 
and host rock in deciding the probable extension or reoccurrence 

of mineralization. 

Geophysical Prospecting? 

In reoent years remarkable suocess in locating unexposed 
sulphide deposits has been achieved in many parts of the world 
by a geophysical method known as ’’Induced Polorization”. In fact 
it is now recognized as a powerful tool in the search for metallic 
particles such as magnetite, specular hematite, chromite, 

pyrolusite, and all base metal sulphides, except sphalerite. 

When electric current is passed through the ground certain 

electro-chemical phenomena give rise to polarization effects. 

This electro-chemical polarization known as ’’over voltage effect”, 
occurs whenever an electric current flows between a metallic 
conductor and an ionic solution. In the process of current 
transfer from one medium to the other, charges are built up at the 
metal-solution interfaces. The detection and measurement of this 
polarization are evidence that metallic particles are present. 

Two approaches have been used in making IP measurements in 
field survey. In one, the ’’Pulse-Transient” system, a d.c. current 
is caused to flow through the ground for a short period of time and 
then interrupted. Polarization charges are built up at metallic 
interfaces while the current is flowing, but after it is turned off, 
these charges cause a restoration current to flow which decrease wit 
time. The presence of a decay current is evidence of a metallic 
deposit, 

In the early days of the application of IP this approach 
was perhaps the better understood and more frequently used. 



- 101 - 


Bolow la cited n specific application by the Calumet Division 
of Calumet and Hecln, Inc., In exploring the Osceola Amygdaloid 
lode In upper Michigan. In order to more thoroughly evaluate 
the mineralization between underground drill holes the company 
experimented with probes Inserted In drill holes. The following 
la a direct quotation of Alvin W. Schillings!-, Calumet's Resident 
Geologist, In this article in the Mining Riglneerlng publication 
of November 1964, page 83. 


The apparatus developed for this puroose consists 
semi-rigid, polyefhylone, coiled probe and a power 
Instrument caseeasily transported and operated by 


of a 
supply/ 
one man. 


., instrument incorporates both automatic functional 

switching and a manual IP resistivity range switch enabling 
readings to be taken in four ranges from 5 mv to 5 v. A 
W2? d - lateral lo ^ ln S configuration with an ’AO’ spacing 
ls usocJ » resulting in a sampling radius of about 
3 ft. The three probe electrodes (2 potential and one current 
electrode spaced 2 ft and 4 ft apart, respectively, are 
sponge-covered, nonpolarizing lead/lead oxide types with the 
thickness of the sponges being varied to suit the diameter 
of the hole being probed. Holes varying in size from l| in. 
to 2* in. have been probed with no difficulty. 


In use, the instrument and probe are set up in the drift 
collar of the hole and the probe is inserted an initial 
6 ft into it (Figure M 2 M ). The remote current electrode is 
placed in a nearby drill hole about 50 ft from the instrument 
to serve as a ground, completing this external circuit. 
Inasmuch as most of the drill holes are wet, no special care 
need be taken to ensure good contact between the electrodes... 


When switched on, a constant current of 5, 10 or 20 ma of 
alternately reversed polarity is automatically pulsed at 
the current electrodes at 3.5-sec intervals with a 3.5-sec 
"off" period between (Fig. ”3”). During the "on" period, 
the ’resistivity’ potential is measured at the potential* 
electrodes. During the "off” period, after a 10 m-sec delay 
the IP potential is sampled for a 10 m-sec interval and 
recorded. 


Headings are generally taken at 2-ft intervals in the 
hole, each reading being composed of four observations 




(resistivity potential, normal and reversed and TP potential, 
normal and reversed). Field data are computed in the office 
and both resistivity values (ohm-ft) and IP sus-ceptibility 
or ”S” values (mv/v) are plotted together on semi-log paper. 
Fig. 5 shows a nortion of a typical underground probe data 
sheet with calculated H and S values and formulas used. 


Depth 

Cur. 

MA 

Potential (MV) 


ip 

(MV) 

Res. 

(ohm-ft) 

s 

(MV/v) 


N 

R 


n 

r 

32 

20 

+ 

2.2 

- 2.2 

+ 

6.0 

6.1 

16.6 

22.8 

3U 

20 

+ 

8.0 

- 8.0 

+ 

2.7 

+ 1.2 

60.? 

93.7 

36 

20 

+ 

0.8 

- 0.8 

+ 

0.75 

+ o.3 

6.0? 

282.0 

38 

20 

+ 

1.7 

- 1.7 

+ 

1.5 

+ 1.9 

12.8 

118.0 

1*0 

20 

+ 

6.0 

- 6.0 

+ 

3.1 

+ 1.2 


158.0 

Ii2 

20 

•f 

70.0 

- 70.0 

+ 

0.6 

- 0.1 

529 

5.0 

to 

20 

+ 

11*0.0 

-lHO.O 

+ 

10.0 

- 3.1 

1,060 

1*6.1* 

1*6 

20 

+ 

150.0 

-i5o.o 

+ 

Ui.o 

- 1*5.0 11,300 

28.7 


Figure '5' 


| (N-R) n-r 

Resisting * x 151* S ° x 1000 

MA N-R 

* constant for probe 

In Figure 5 the zone from 33 to 41 ft would be designated 

ore baaed on inspection of the S values”. 

The other approach, the ’’Variable Fregquency” system has the 
advantages of light-weight equipment and the transmission of power 
in the narrow frequency band under measurement. In the ’’Variable 
Frequency” technique the IP effect is determined by measuring the 
magnitude of the impedance of the ground at two frequencies, or 
more. This is done by applying a known current to the ground 
through two electrodes and measuring the potential drop across 
two other electrodes. Commonly resistivity measurement is ac¬ 
complished by the use of the dipole-dipole method as illustrated 









- 193 - 


In tho diagram. 

Current is applied at two points (x) apart and the potential 
Is measured between two other co-llner points also spaced (x) 
distance apart. The distance between the nearest current and 
potential electrodes is (nx) where n is a variable lnteper between 
1 and 6, 

The distance used for (x) can range between 25 and 1000 feet, 
the 25-to 100- foot values applying to detail investigation, and 
* he 500-to 1000-foot values being employed in broad reconnsissance 
work where deep deposits might be anticipated. The depth of de¬ 
tection may be increased by increasing (x) or (n), 

A maximum frequency of 10 cycles per second Is desirable, 
sinoe at higher frequencies the inductance of connecting leads, 
ground loops and the mineralized zone itself may cause misleading 
effects. Since tho IP effect is determined by the difference in 
the measured impedance at two frequencies, the further apart these 
frequencies are chosen, the greater the measured difference and, 
therefore, the greater the accuracy. However, with the upper 
frequency limited, greater separation can only be achieved by 
lowering the low frequency with the result of requiring more time 
to make each measurement. Measurements at very-lo w frequency may 
be achieved by employing a unit with an added d.c. facility with re¬ 
versible polarity, 

Tho basic components of a typical unit consists of a transmitter, 
receiver and engine-renerator set as Illustrated in tho accompanying 
photo. A standard unit includes also norous Dots, stainless steel 



- 194 - 


stakos, scroon electrodes, reels, winders, special field wire, 
multimeter, clip-leads pllors and cutters. One supplier quotes 
a price of $12,400 for a standard unit equipped for two froouoncle3, 
0,3125 and 5 cps, plus the facility for d.c. operation. 

At each current and ootenttal electrode pair, the apparent 
resistivity is measured as well as the apparent IP effect. The 
oolarl"atlon parameter is measured which is equal to 2K x 10^ 

(where K equals 3.1416) times the change in the apparent con¬ 
ductivity when the frequency of the applied current is changed. 

The values of apparent resistivity and of the apparent IP 
effects are plotted on separate graphs, in a two-dimensional array. 
The plotting method is demonstrated in Figure 43 . The values 
from each measurement are nlotted at the intersection of 45° lines 
from the center point of the current electrodes and the center 
point of the potential electrodes. The apoarent resistivity 
values are plotted above the center line, and the apoarent IP 
effects below the line. The lateral oosition of rach value is 
determined by the lateral position of the electrodes; the distance 
of the value from the center line is determined by the distance 
between the current and potential electrodes. 

The horizontal row of values made with (n equal to 1 ) is 
made with a constant seoaration, and therefore represent a constant 
depth of detection. The second row of values is made for large 
separation, and therefore is influenced by deeper zones, and so on. 
ratterns developed from the contouring of such plots indicate the 
position and, to some degree, the depth and size of a hidden orebody. 



X© 


METHOD USED IN PLOTTING DIPOLE - DIPOLE 
INDUCED POLARIZATION AND RESISTIVITY RESULTS 


< -X -M- 


-K— X 


r® 

h 




x = Electrode spread length 

n = Electrode separation 

i 

2 

3 

4 

3 6 

7 8 4 



PLOTTED POSITION OF VALUE MEASURED 
WITH ELECTRODES AT 3to4 AHD 6to7 


© REPRESENTS THE MEASURED VALUE OF 
APPARENT RESISTIVITY, FREQUENCY EFFECT 
OR METAL FACTOR 


FIG. 45 


4/19/ 65 


SB 







































































































-19 5- 


Core Drilling 

Circumstances that affect exploratory drilling vary so widely 
in different parts of the world that no 3 ingle set of conditions 
may be assumed to represent the average. However, since the reader 
is primarily interested in what may be considered applicable in 
Iran the writer elects herein to describe conditions and to present 
statistical information pertaining to a drilling program conducted 
.iointly by US AID, the Ministry of Economy, and the Mehdiabad 
Mining Company at the Mehdiabad Mine. Pertinent conditions are 
as follows: 

Location: Central Iran, 113 km SE of Yazd. 

Rock Types: Silicified limestone, gossan, barite. 

Depth of Alluvium: 0 to 266 feet; average 66 feet. 

Water Source: Spring 12 km from drill area. 

Water Delivery: Hauled by tank truck to storage. Piped 



by gravity from storage to drill site. 

Two Longyear 34-type, cap. 1200 ft. AX rods 
Cost of drills and accessories P.O.B. 


Drills: 


Khorramshahr - $82,000. 

Organization: 1 Drill foreman, 4 drillers, 8 driller helpers, 

laborers, 2 cooks, 2 drivers. 


Contract Service: Water haulage 
Duration of Coring Period: 7 months. 

Physical accomplishments are summarized as follows: 

Number of holes drilled.. 9 








- 196 - 


Depth range • •• 
Total foot drilled 


« * • 

• • I 


422 ft. to 1107 ft 
. 6380 


Average footage drilled per 8-hr. shift 
Percent of core recovery below alluvium ••» • 
Split-core samples collected . 

Commodity and depreciation costs were: 


Fuel (Gasoline) . 1,425.60 

Lubricants . 

Bentonite, 2-J-T @ $180. 

Lumber.. 

Cement. 

Coring bits . 

Reaming shells . 

Core barrels, core lifters, casing • • 

Depreciation of drills . 

Water, pipe, tanks, pump . 

Camp supplies ... 

Equipment repairs . •• 

Equipment transportation . 

Food •••••••• . 


Labor costs were: 


1 Drill foreman . . 
1 Ministry driller 
4 Ministry trainees 


... ... 

16.1 

... ... 

95.3 

... ... 

586 

DOLLARS 

RIALS 

1,425.60 

106,920 

39.60 

2,970 

450,00 

33,750 

219.60 

16,470 

60.00 

4,500 

2,640.00 

198,000 

499.80 

37,485 

779.50 

58,463 

2,500.00 

187,500 

L2,004.30 

900,322 

678.00 

50,850 

128.40 

9,630 

200.00 

15,000 

3,036.00 

227,700 

3 24,6 60.80 

1,849,560 

DOLLARS 

RIALS 

7,712,60 

578,445 

1,944.00 

145,800 

3,520,00 

264,000 
























- 197 - 


1 Ministry driver - 1 Mo . 

DOLLARS 

TSG7&T 

RIALS 

127^0 

2 Mining company drillers . . . , 

1,680.00 

126,000 

5 Driller helpers . 

1,400.00 

105,000 

Road laborers ..... . 

2,136.40 

160,230 

2 Cooks ..... . . 

501.00 

37,575 

1 USAID driver . . . 

1,644.00 

123,300 

Local air-travel ... 

200.00 

15,000 

Total labor cost.. 

20,898.00 

1,567,350 

Total core drilling cost .... 

45,558.80 

3,416,910 

Core drilling cost per foot . . 

7.14 

535 


Cost related to the Mehdiabad exploration but not applicable 
to drilling amount to $22,284.70 or 1,671,350 rials. These related 
costs include those of engineering services, sample shipments, sample 
sacks, engineering supplies, a part of labor and supplies on roads 
and mine camp and a part of the camp food and services, but exclude 
certain unavailable cost figures such as geophysical prospecting, 
assaying, and pro-rata salary and travel expenses of Mehdiabad 
Mining Company officials. 

The direct drilling cost at Mehdiabad was exceptionally high 
in respect to one item, water procurement. The water haulage was 
a service contracted for at an excessive rate. Under less severe 
conditions the water should not have cost more than 25$ of the above 
cost, which would have reduced cost per foot to less than $6.00. 

The AID-Ministry drilling project had two primary objectives, 
exploration and training. It must be realized that a trainee 












- 198 - 


learns by mistaken, and that the min taken are offen costly In 
drilling time and damaged equipment. The une of highly skilled 
drillers throughout t*ho project drilling period would doubt¬ 
less have led to a more impressive drilling rate. Also time 
consumed in major reoairs on one of the drills, added to the 
Nowruz holiday period, advanoed the project comoletion date by 
roughly one month. Nonetheless, some of the Ministry and private 
sector trainees displayed exceptional progress in drilling skill 
due to the outstanding quality of instructions and guidance 
rendered by the Drill Foreman, John Norris. He presence at one 
or the other of the drills eight to ten hours daily made possible 
the slow but sound development of some reliable drill operators 
for the Ministry of Economy and private industry. 

His on-the-job verbal instructions were supported by posted 
instructions both in English and Farsi. Mr. Norris's "Directions 
in Core Drill Operation", if strictly observed, can prevent some 
very serious mishaps. The following is an example of his posted 
instructions: 

A. Setting up the Drill 
Do 

1. Maneuver the machine so that it is exactly levelled 
and alignod to drill at the specified horizontal 
and vertical angles, 

2. Anchor the machine and tripod securely. 

Do Not 

3. Do not change position of machine after drilling 




- 199 - 


has started as it creates bonds and binds in tho 
drill rods, and results in a crooked hole from which 
inaccurate conclusions are formod. 

Maintenance of Eqipment 

Do 

1. Change the oil in the drill and pump motors 
after every 100 hours of operation, 

2. Replace oil fillers after every 200 hours of operation, 

3. Service oil bath air fillers every 48 hours of operation, 

4. Grease hydraulic head bearings with pressure gvw every 
8 hours of operation. 

5. Securely cover and keep clean all prease and oil 
containers when not in use. A small particle of 
abrasive material may cause a bearing failure. 

6 . Keep all equipment reasonably clean. Dirt hides loose 
bolts, etc. 

7 . Attend to all minor repairs at once. Neglect may 
lead to a ma.lor overhaul. 

Do Not 

8 . Never run motors faster than required. 

9. Do not run motor when not needed. Don’t waste fuel. 

Care of Tools and Their Use 

Do 

1. Take special caro to keep hand tools in a regularly 
established place, clean and properly adjusted to the 
size for tho job intended. 





- 200 - 


Po Wot 

2 . Never use an extension on an 18-inch or 24-incb as 
a substitute for a 36-inch wrench. 

3 . Never use pipe wrenches on any kind of hex or square nut. 

D. Core Barrol and Diamond Bits 

Bo 

1. Use the proper wrench intended for the core barrel* 

2 . At the beginning of each shift dismantle the core 
barrel, grease the head bearings and check for Droner 
adjustment, 

Do Not 

3. Never use oipe wrenches on the core barrel, diamond 
bits or reaming shell. Such mishandling makes them 
egg-shaped and no longer useable. 

4 . Never lay the core barrel on tools or objects on the 
floor. In so doing you may cause them to become 
unuseable• 

E. Hoisting and Lowering of Core Barrel 

Do 

1. Hoist and lower core barrel at a reasonably steady 
speed. Lowering the core barrel too fast causes the 
hole to surge resulting in caving. Hoisting too fast 
creates a vacuum behind the core bit and also causes 
the hole to cave. 

Do Not 

2 . Never lower the core barrel to the bottom of the drill 






- 201 - 

holo until nump has been started and fluid ha« 
reached the bit. After the drive rod in the 
hydraulic has been connected to the drill string, 
raise the drill string off bottom at least two feet 
before starting pump. This gives the pump a chance 
to clean out the cuttings left in the hole and 
decreases the chance of sticking the core barrel. 
After the pump has been started allow at least lj 
minutes oer 100 feet of drill rod for fluid to reach 
bit before drilling is started. 

3. When the core barrel nlugs up and oumn pressure ine- 
cres3Gs pull the core barrel out of the hole at once 
to determine the cause. Never try to continue coring 
once the core has been blocked from entering the 
barrel. Pump pressure should never exceed 300j§ lbs. 

psi. Once the pump pressure exceeds 200 lbs. psi., 
you are no longor taking core. Hoist the core barrel 
to the surface and investigate. 

P. Coring with Mud Solution 
Do 

1. If a mud solution is needed be careful to prepare it 
to the proper consistency or thickness. Mud that 

is too light will not seal the walls of the hole, 
the walls are weakened and caving starts. If the 
mud solution is too heavy it slows down the rate of 
bit penetration. 

2. Keep the solution frue of abrasive material. 

3. Consult your foreman if you are in doubt about the 
preparation and use of drilling solutions. 



Mine Examination and Evalutntlon: 


Mining differs from other industrios In one funda¬ 
mental respect, In that It exploits a wasting asset, namely, 
the ore reserve. This basic fact governs the minor's ap¬ 
proach to the business of exploiting an orebody, and leads 
to specialized economic methods. A modern mining activity 
normally starts with an extended heavy-cost period of ex¬ 
ploration and mine development. During this early fact¬ 
funding period many mining-related matters, such as opera¬ 
ting permit, mining laws, customs regulations, labor laws, 
taxes, transportation and market conditions, require costly 
time-consuming investigation. The prospective mine oper¬ 
ator has only the hope of a production-period profit to 
Justify the preliminary investments. Seldom, if ever, can 
the element of risk be completely eliminated, but a com¬ 
petent examining engineer will endeavor to limit the cost 
of exploration to the profit that may be expected to accrue 
from the extraction and sale of reserves already indicated. 
If, for geological or other reasons, costs in excess of 
this limit appear justified, any accelleration of explora¬ 
tion activity should be fully understood and authorized by 
the promoters of the enterprise. 

Mine examinations may involve the expenditure of a 
few thousand tomans,*- or several million tomans*-, depending 


7.5 tomans equal $1.00 



-203- 


on indications from preliminary geologic studies. The 
time involved may range from a few days to many months 
depending on whether more than preliminary investigations 
are thought justified. In any event an examination, 
whether preliminary or formal, should be conducted by a 
competent engineer who possesses the qualifications of 
integrity, sound reasoning ability, and a working know¬ 
ledge of geologic principles, mining methods and mineral¬ 
dressing practices. In estimating the cost of a mine 
examination, assuming employment of local engineers and 
technicians, the following rates may be used as a rough 
guide: 

Supervising engineer - 2T500 tomans/mo. 

Geologist - 2*500 tomans/mo 

Sampler - 1000 tomans/mo 

Quantitative analysis- 50 tomans/determination 
Core drilling - 230 tomans/meter 

Many Items such as engineering equipment, sampling tools, 
sample sacks, core boxes, housing facilities and trans¬ 
portation must be Included In the estimated cost of in¬ 
vestigation. 

The following is a hypothetical example of mine 
evaluation presented in sufficient detail to Illustrate 
proper methods of estimating the worth of the indicated 
reserves. The example mine, assumed to be situated In 


-204- 

tho Yazd-Korman area, consists of the development workings 
on the 30- and 60-meter levels of a vein-type zinc-lead 
deposit. This la a steeply pitching vein ranging in width 
from 0.5 to 3 meters. The principal metallic minerals are 
sphalerite, galena and pyrite. The wall rock is andesite, 
but quartz and calcite constitute a part of the vein material. 

The vein has been exposed by drifts on the 30- and 60- meter 
levels for an average length of 450 meters. The mine is equipped 
with a vertical prospecting shaft consisting of one hoist¬ 
ing compartment and one manway. 

A brief preliminary examination shows the need for 
underground surveying and detailed sampling to be con¬ 
ducted concurrently with core drilling. Channel samples 
are cut by hammer and moil, or by pneumatic pick, at re¬ 
gular 2-meter intervals from the exnosed vein on both the 
30- and 60-meter levels. The sampler attempts to maintain 
uniformity in the size of cut throughout each channel, and 
collects his sample on a piece of canvas spread on the 
drift floor. He tags and bags each sample and keeps a care¬ 
ful notebook record of the sample number, location and 
width of sample. All samples are analyzed for lead and zinc. 

One of every twenty are analyzed for silica, iron, gold, 
silver, cadmium and sulphur. The lead and zinc content 
for each level are then weighted according to 


the length of sample and averaged by the formula: 

Sum of (Length x percent )s ., 

sum of lengths 

A line of drill holes parallel to the outcrop and 
spaced at 50-meter intervals are put down from the surface 
at 60 degrees from the horizontal at a sufficient distance 
from the outcrop to intercept the vein 150 meters vertically 
below the surface. As the dip of the vein is 75° in the 
direction of the drill the angle between drill hole and 
vein is 45°, the vein width at each intersection is then 
the length of mineralized core x 0,707. Mineralized cores 
are split and analyzed. Vein widths are calculated and 
averaged, and a weighted average of contained zinc and 
lead is calculated by the same method as employed for 
channel samples. 

Let it be assumed that the following averages are 
obtained: 


30-meter level 
60-meter level 
150-meter level 


Length of Thickness Percent Oz/T 

Orebody of Orebod y Pb Zn S Ag 

450 m 1.8 m 10.2 20.2 22.0 3.0 

450 m 1.4 m 10.0 18,3 20.0 2.8 

350 m 1.0 m 8,1 14.5 16.4 2.0 


Then Elocks I, II and III represent respectively from 
surface to 28.5-m Level, 28,5 x 450 x 1,8 x 3,0 - 69,255 T, 

30-m level to 58,5m " * 28,5 x 450 x 1.4 x 3,0 - 53,865 T, 

60-m level to 150m " # 90 x 450 x 350 x 1,0 x 2.9-104,400 T, 

g 


*roof of drift 


TOTAL 


227,420 T 








- 206 - 


Then the average grade la calculated aa follows: 



Tons x 
i Pb 

Tons x 

% Zn 

Tons x 
j S_ 

Tons x 

0Z/T Ar 

Block I 

7435.8 

14725.8 

16038.0 

218,700 

Block II 

5670.0 

10376.1 

11340.0 

158,760 

Block III 

8456.4 

15138.0 

17121.6 

208,800 

Totals 

21562.2 

40239.9 

44499.6 

586,260 

Averages 

9.2 % Pb 

17.2 % Zn 

19 % S 

2.5 Oz/T Ag 

A hole 

drilled to 

encounter 

the vein at 

210 -m-depth 


revealed only pyrite. While the extension of the orebody 
below the 150-m level is indicated by a hole to 180-meter 
level, mineralization is weaker, and the orebody is shorter 
and narrower at this depth. The engineer estimates reserves 
below the 150-m level to bo 12,500 tons, making total reserves 
240,000 tons of minable ore. 

Unquestionably the ore must be beneficiated and up¬ 
graded to a marketable product. Let it be assumed that a 
bulk flotation concentrate is to be produced and shipped 
to an European smelter where zinc-lead ore or concentrate 
is paid for on the basis of both the zinc and lead content. 

A beneficiation test on a large representative sample 
produces the following results: 










-207- 



Heads 

Concentrate 

Tailing 

Material 

Analysis 

Analysis 

Recovery 

Analysis 

Pb (galena) 

9.2 % 

23.0 % 

90.0 % 

0.9 % 

Zn (sphalerite) 

17.2 % 

43.0 % 

83.0 % 

2.9 t 

Ag 

2.5 oz/T 

6.2 oz/T 

88.0 % 

0.2 oz/T 

Fe 

8.0 % 

2.3 % 


7.2 / 

S 

19.0 % 

27.0 % 


10.8 % 

SiO 

22.1 % 

2.0 % 


37.0 i 

CaCO^+MgCO^ 

24.2 % 

2.6 f 


41.0 % 


99.7 % 

99.9 f. 


99.8 % 

Product Wt., dry 

100 % 

35.1 % 


64.9 % 


The net smelter return for this concentrate may be 
estimated only approximately, for the reason that schedules 


vary not only among smelters but also change from time to 
time according to metal markets, labor conditions and other 
variables. The terms of settlement used in this example are 
not necessarily identical with the schedule of any particular 
smelter, but they suffice for the purpose of evaluating mine 


reserves 




-208- 


Smelter Payments: 

Analyses Typical Settlement Terms 


Payment 
ner JLnnr: Ton 






v S 

d 

$ His 

As 

6*2 OZ/T 

Deduct 1.0 OZ/T 

5.2 @ 112.0625 d 

2 8 

13 


Pb 

23.0 % 

Pay for $ 0 % 
(0.23 x 0.9) 

of L.T.U. 

@ 109.2.3 

22 11 

17 


Zn 

43.0 % 

Pay for 70^ 
(0.43 x 07) 

of L.T.U. 

@ £ 122.16.3 

36 19 

4 


Less 

Treatment 

Charge 

Per Long 

Ton 

62 0 

10 



Base 

Crushing 
Zinc 3/6 
Lead l/6 

x 25.6375 
x 22.5065 

£ 4.000 

1.000 

4.4866 

1.6880 





Total Treatment Charre 


11 3 

12 



Net C. 

F. Value 


60 16 

22 



Loss 

Freight Paid by Smelter 

1 Ton @ £ 4 4 0 0 


Net to Seller 


46 16 22 131.17 983£ 









- 209 - 


Mine and plant development cost may bo estimated as 
f ollowo: 


Item of Development: 

Enlarging and timbering shaft to 3-comp. 
60 m @ 5500 Rials 

60-hp hoist w/pasoline motor, cable, 
skip and cage 

Steel headframe, sheave and 30-ton bin 


Rials 


350,000 

2 , 000,000 
2,500,000 


Ore cars, rails, pine 300,000 

3-portable-type compressors 

@ 250 cf m and 10 rock drills 

Water supply - deep well 1,000,000 

Hoist and compressor house, repair shop, 
explosive storage, office 

Heneficiatlon plant - 200 tpd., 26,000,000 

including electric power plant 


Transportation facilities, tools 1,200,000 

and miscellaneous supplies _ 

Total investment 36,000,000 


Also a working capital of 45 million rials must be provided 
to finance the first four months of operation. 

Production Cost3 in Rials 


Per Ton of Ore 


Examination 20 
Mining 500 
Milling 250 
Miscellaneous and overhead 100 
Trucking (cone, only) 780 
Port, charges (cone, only) 50 
Exploitation fee 210 
Interest on development capital 30 
Interest on working capital 90 
Taxes 530 


TOTAL 


2360 











-mo- 


Value of Deposit : 


Return per ton of ore *351 x 9838 » Rls. 3453 
Cost ” ” ” ” Rls. 2360 
Profit " " ” M Rls. 109& 


Profit per year 60,000 tpa Rls. 65,580,000 

Assuming the purchaser wants an 

interest return of 12$ with redemption 

of capital at 5$, and the net income of 

this mine is Rls. 65,580,000 per year 

for 4 years, the Hoskold formula, 


A 

Vp * r-r 1 
R n - 1 

in which 


may be applied, 


- +r» 


Vp = value of mine fully developed 
A =» annual net profit 

r =* practical safe rate of redemption of capital 
r* = speculative rate of return on investment 
n => number of years of life 
R n ■= portion of oarning to sinking fund. 


Vp 


65.580,000 

•05 

1.2155 -1 


+.12- Rls. 186,300,000 


Less outlay for development 

Equitable purchase price 
or about 


36,000,000 

Rls. 150,300,000 

$ 2 , 000,000 


In other words 

Operating profit 4 x 65,580,000= 262,320,000 

Less total outlay 

Purchase price 150,300,000 
Development 36,000,000 

Working Capital 45,0 00,000 231,300,000 

Leaves a net balance of Rls. 31,020,000 












- 211 - 


CHAPTER NINETEEN 
MINING METHODS 


In mining as In other Industries, the private 
investor is primarily interested in profit. Profitability is 
directly related to safety, percent of ore extraction, and 
efficiency in mining. In Iran, mining is almost entirely con¬ 
fined to underground operations, and excavations for lead and 
zinc ores are commonly in firm limestone or dolomite, the most 
prevalent host rocks for these minerals. Since the host rocks, 
in general, are strong enough to remain in place without support 
across moderately wide stopes, the use of mine timbers for wall 
support is extremely rare in Tran. For this reason the major 
factors that should influence the selection of mining methods 
are size, shape and Inclination of orobodies. 

In years pa3t, would-be miners In seeking only the 
high-grade have mutilated some fine orebodies with disorderly 
arrangements of meandering passages and excavations, a procedure 
commonly known as “gophering”. This practice i3 particularly 
prevalent during periods of low metal prices, but other reasons 
for failure to properly develops are: (1) lack of information 
about extent and nature of reserves, (2) shortage of working 
capital, (3) lack of beneficiating facilities including water, 
(4) ignorance of systematic mining methods, and (6) ambition to 
extract a 3 mall “bonanza” In the shortest possible time at 
minimum expense. Gophering, if used to mine rich portions of 


a large orebody, often results in temporary profit but eventual 
loss, as the irregular openings increase the cost, or prohibit 
mining of the remaining mill-grade portions. Obviously, the 
exploration and development phases should never be negloctod. 
Ore deposits are formed in many shapes and sizes, but, in 
general, lead and zinc deposits occur as fissure veins, ir¬ 
regular-shaped bodies of di3seminated ore, or irregularly bedd¬ 
ed orebodies. 

Vein-type ore deposits may be classified accord¬ 
ing to thickness into four groups: (a) very thin - up to 0.7 
meters; (b) thin - from 0.7 to 1.3 meters: (c) medium thick - 
from 1.3 to 3.5 meters; and (d) thick - over 3.5 meters. 


(a) Very Thin Veins : 

The breaking of ore from a steeply-pitching vein 
less than 0.7 meters thick obviously requires the breaking of 
some wall rook in order to make space in v/hich a man can work. 
Under such conditions the most common method is that of resuing, 
^n which a portion of one wall is broken before or after the 
vein material. The waste rock from the wall is used as a fill, 
and provides a working floor sufficiently close to the back of 
the stope to permit convenient working conditions. The ore is 
blasted down seoarately onto wooden poles, a steel plate, or 
even a levelled area on the stope fill. Ore passes, lined with 
timber or stone, are maintained slighly in advance of the top 




OnX-JT 


eP 

<✓> 


W 

u> 

uiv. 

o; <n 






*1 ,*. 
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of the fill. Manway raise3 are spaced at 10 - to 15 - meter 
intervals. The method is illustrated in Figure 44. 

(b) Thin Ve ins 

Steeply-pitching veins 0.7 to 1.3 meters thick 
may be worked by open underhand, open overhand, or a cut-and-fill 
method, depending somewhat upon the nature of the vein material. 
If an appreciable portion of the material between vein walls is 
barren or nearly barren the cut-and-fill method is preferred, a-3 
it takes advantage of readily available waste fill and elimates 
expensive movement of sub-marginal material. Ore passes and 
manways are provided as In the resuing method. 

If, however, all material between walls is ore, and 
the walls are firm, the open underhand method is perhaps more 
applicable in Iran, duo to the scarcity of mine timbers that 
would be required for staging in the overhand method. Stoping 
starts at the top of untimberod raises put up in the ore shoot 
from a drift-level to the next subdrift above. These raises are 
spaced 10 to 15 meters apart. The breaking of ore is advanced 
by benches, which should be kept high and close together for 
economical handling. Underhand stoping is illustrated in 
Figur e 45. 

(c) Medium Thick Veins 

Steep veins in the thickness range of 1.3 to 5 
meters may be mined by shrinkage stopes in which enough broken 
ore is retained to provide a working floor for the miners. As 







-214- 


the breaking advances upward a small amount of ore is with¬ 
drawn through chutes at the tram level to provide working room 
in tho stope above. The method is not applicable in veins less 
than 1.3 meters thick as there is a tendency for large boulders 
of broken ore to become wedged between walls and hold back the 
broken material above it. Manway raises are usually maintained 
at 30-meter Intervals to facilitate access of air pipes and water 
pipes as well as workmen to the stopes. A horizontal pillar of 
about 3-meter thickness is left above the haulage drift and ore 
passes are cut through to the stope at 5 meter intervals. 

Figure 46 illustrates the shrinkage method. 

(d) T hick Velns, or Elongated Massive Orebodies 

Steeply dipping elongated lead or lead-zinc 
deposits with ore thicknesses greater than 5 meters can be 
effectively and 3afely mined by sublevel stoping , a form of 
open stope mining in which the ore is excavated in successive 
slices across the vein so as to form inverted-bench patterns. 

The ore must be of such strength that it will stand unsupported 
aoross the width of the stope. 

A main level is opened out and sub-levels con¬ 
nected by raises are driven above it at Intervals of 6-8 meters. 
The first sublevel, 8 meters above the main level, is opened 
out as a chute level and funnel-shaped "glory holes" are 
excavated to permit the passage of broken ore to dra*/ chutes at 


■ 










Underhand sloping 


C. D. P. £. 

7/ ‘1^/65 

SB. 


FIG. 45 























































ad 

06 


ui 

a.' 

# 

a 

o 



co 

* 


0 


7 / 27/65 

















































































-215- 


the main haulage level. The "glory holes" are spaced at 8 
meters center to center. The chute level is excavated to a 
height of 5 meters and is extended by the driving of a crosscut 
2J- meters high from the end of the chute level to either wall* 

Holes 2\ meters deep are drilled in the back and a slice 2\ 
meters thick is blasted down. This process is renoated in 
retreating along the chute level. As soon as the chute level 
is fully opened excavation begins on the sublevel 8 meters 
above. A crosscut 2g- meters high is driven from one raise to 
the next, and from this down holes are drilled in the 3-meter 
bench below and uppers are drilled in the bench above* These 
are blasted, the broken ore falling Into the open chamber 
beneath, from which it is drawn through the chutes. After a second 
such cut the sublevels above are started in the same sequen¬ 
tial order each following the one beneath in a retreat from 
one end of the block to the other. The miners work under a 
3 olid back at all times. The method is illustrated in Figure 47* 
Veins with low-angle dip of whatever thickness 
usually require the leaving of support pillars and the use of 
scrapers for dragging the broken ore into loading chutes. Haulage 
drifts are driven on the strike of the vein at slope intervals 
that will permit the greatest efficiency in scraper operation, 
usually in the 30-to 60-meter range. Support pillars of 2-to 
4-meter diameter are aligned normal to the strike and spaced 


-216- 


at regular intervals, the space between pillars depending on 
the strength of the hanging wall. The space between rows of 
pillars also depends on wall strongth but ample room for free 
scraper movement is quite necessary. Ample room must be cut 
in the hanging wall just above the haulage drift and midway 
between pillar rows to provide for the installation and 
operation of the scraper hoist. This method is referred to as 
continuous breast-stoping and it is illustrated in Figure 48. 

The method is applicable to any gently-dipping 
ore deposit whether vein, disseminated replacement, or bedded 
type. It has the disadvantage of a rather low ore recovery 
rate due to non-extraction of pillars. 

In semi-arid countries with a precipitation rate 
of only a few inches annually as in most of Iran, thick surface- 
exposed orebodies, whether steeply or gently-pitching, may be 
successfully mined by the glory-hole method. The system 
necessitates the driving of a series of horizontal passages 
communicating with the surface via a permanent mine opening 
such as shaft or adit. Ore passes, equipped with discharge 
chutes at the bottom, are driven from the horizontal workings 
vertically to the surface. The raises are spaced sufficiently 
close to permit the free flow of broken ore to the grizzlies 
as bench drilling progresses downward. Starting at the mouths 
of the raises the ore is blasted in a narrow-bench pattern 
forming a funnel-shaped opening at the top of each ore pass. 



CAVED OVERBURDEN 



LEVEL 

FT. 

SUB LEVEL 
25 FT. 

SUB LEVEL 

SUB LEVEL 
25 FT. 
t 15 FT. 
MAIN LEVEL 


SU3LEV EL 

uppers! 

DOWN 
HOLES 



SUBLEVEL STOPING METHOD 


S.&. 


FIG. 47 


T.U.O. U/17/65 
























































































































Continuous breast - stoping with natural support pillars 
in a jlat-dipping deposit 


FIG. 48 


C.D.P. E. 
7 / 28/65 


S-B. 



































GLORY HOLE MINING (MILLING) 


C.D.P. E. 
7 / 31/65 


FIG. 49 


S.& 



































































-817- 


Ore should be broken so as to avoid oversize pieces, but, in 
any case grizzly bars should be sufficiently close to prevent 
the passage of boulder too large for crusher intake. Small 
"dog holes" at the grizzlies must be provided for the safety of 
workmen breaking oversize boulders. Inasmuch as the sloping 
sides of the glory holes are usually 45 degrees or steeper the 
drillers and other workmen must be securely tied at all times. 
The method, illustrated in Figure 49, has the advantage of 
iown-hole drilling, natural lighting, reduced hazard from 
dU3t and gas, minimum transportation, and elimination of rock 
support. It is a combination of open-cut and underground 
mining and lends itself to cheap excavation. 

Although a number of other methods of underground 
mining have been employed In various parts of the world, the 
methods described above are considered the most applicable to 
the extraction of known lead and zinc deposits of Iran. 

As of this writing the use of open-pit mining 
appears to be applicable to only one of Iran's lead-zinc 
deposits, the Angouran, and even there, the heavy thickness of 
limestone overlying a part of the orebody probably prevents 
exclusive application of the open-pit method. 




- 218 - 


CHAPTKR TWENTY 

LEGAL REQUIREMEN TS OF THE FOREIGN INVESTOR 
Auth orizatio n to_ Invest 

A potential foreign investor in mining is obliged to 
seek authorization from the Ministry of Economy to invest 
foreign capital in this country. A supervisory board con¬ 
sisting of the Governor of Rank Melli Tran, the Undersecretaries 
of the Ministries of Finance, Forogn Affairs, and National Econ¬ 
omy, the General Manager of the Seven-Year Plan Organization 
or one of his assistants, the President of the Chamber of Com¬ 
merce of Tehran or one of his Vice Presidents, and the President 
of the Exchange Control Commission shall investigate and 
decide the merits of the proposal submitted. The decision of 
this Board, whose meotings are held at Bank MollI Iran, Is 
submitted through the Ministoi* of National Economy to the 
Council of Ministers for final approval and Issuance of a Decree. 

Persons and firms intending to imnort their capital into 
Iran should address thoir proposals to the Secretariat of the 
Supervisory Board, together with a statement in Persian, English 
or French covering the following points: 

a. The identity of the person or firm; 

b. The country of origin of capital; 

c. Typo of capital, specifying the cash and non-cash amounts 

d. Legal domicile and the centre of activities of the 
person or firm; 

e. Type of activity and the program of operation in Iran, 








-P19- 


indicatlng, If possiblo, whether operations will be 
carried out independently or in partnership; 

f* The sphere of activity in Iran; 

g. References. 

Upon issue of the Decree by the Council of Ministers 
the applicant should, within a period prescribed with the 
agreement of the Board, submit to the Board a detailed list 
of the non-cash capital which he intends to import into Iran, 
together with a certificate from international experts 
acceptable by the Board, as to the correctness of its evaluation. 
Having agreed with the said evaluation, the Board will present 
the foreign investor or his representative with the license 
for the import of capital, permitting at the same time com¬ 
mencement of operations. 

The foreign Investor is entitled to Insure the capital 
which he imports to Iran. Should the Irsurer be a foreign 
government insurance institution, and the said institute, as 
a result of an accident, replace the Investment in accordance 
with the provisions of the insurance policy, this replacement 
does not constitute a transfer of capital. However, persons, 
companies and private firms are not entitled to transfer their 
shares, profits and rights to their own or other governments. 

Within one year from the date of notification, the holder 
of the license is under obligation to take measures to import 
an appropriate capital for the commencement of operations; 
otherwise his license shall be null and void. 


The cash capital which is imported int6 Iran in a lump 
sum or in installments, and converted into rials, must be in 
foreign exchange acceptable to Bank Iielli Iran; and it must be 
registered in the investor.'^ name on date of receipt# The 
amount of non-cash capital plus cost of packing, transportation, 
insurance etc., paid outside of Iran will, after verification, 
be totally registered in the investor’s name. 

Foreign currencies left with the Bank unconverted and not 
taken as security against rial oayment will be placed at the 
disposal of their owners, and the owners are entitled to use 
such currencies for the payments of their orders placed abroad© 

Transfer abroad of the original capital and accrued profits, 
or the balance of such profits and capital remaining in Iran 
shall be permitted, subject to a 3-month prior notice to the 
Supervisory Board, upon fulfillment of all obligations and with 
duo regard to Provisions of Agreement of the International 
Monetary Fund of July 1944. However, the owner of capital is re¬ 
quired to retain in Iran, for six months, at least 10 perceht 
of his original capital to meet his contingent obligations. 

For further details regarding investment laws the pros¬ 
pective investor should refer to a publication by Bank MarkazI 
Iran entitled "Law, Regulations and Decree concerning the 
Attraction and Protection of Foreign Investments In Iran". 

Taxation 

Another informative publication by the same Bank is entitled 
’’Tax and Customs Regulations and Concessions to Investors.” 



- 221 - 


The following provision 13 especially attractive to the private 
investors in the mining industry, quote: 

"All companies whose operations are exclusively directed 
toward exportation of one or several types of goods or 
of industrial commodities, or toward working and exploit¬ 
ation of mines, or toward melting or.refining minerals, 
or to the production of industrial products, and are 
recognized as such by the Ministry of Commerce and Finance 
shall enjoy the following advantages: 

a. Companies formed or to be formed for the above 
purposes shall be exemnt from paying income tax 
as from the date of commencement of exploitation 
for a period of five years; 

b. All kind of packing requirements such as gunny 

sacks. Jute matorial, .. barrels and 

containers for export goods on temporary import 
basis shall be exempt from the payment of customs 
duty if they are definitely sent back, 

c. Machineries for the production, improvement, or 
conversion of materials and crops in connection 
with agriculture and animal husbandry, handicrafts, 

and mineral and packaged products, . and 

other similar machinery, certified by the Ministry 
of Finance, imported for the completion of home 
industries, or for improvement of brands, assort¬ 
ments, packing or converting goods for the purpose 




- 222 - 

of improving their quality or for rendering 
export commodities into full or semi-manufactured 
goods, shall be exempt from the payment of all 
customs duties.” 

Another provision favorable to the mining industry is 
quoted below: 

”Ten percent of the net income, as declared in 
the submitted balance sheet, shall be exempt 
from taxation in the case of joint-stock com¬ 
panies excluding non-government banks, but 
industrial and producing factories, whether 
managed as a company or a private firm, a3 well 
as companies already uxisting or formed later 
for the purpose of mining, refining or smelting 
minerals shall have n 50-percent exemption on the 
income derived from the above-mentioned source as 
shown in their Balance Sheets and Profit and Loss 
Accounts, Institutions to be covered by this 
exemption shall be determined at the recommendation 
of the Finance Ministry and the approval of the 
Ccuncil o£ Ministers." 

The Iranian Income Tax Law provides that, quote: 

”A11 persons who, in accordance with the Commercial 
Code, are considered to be merchants, as well as 
all other persons liable to taxation for whom no 
special provisions have been made as to paymeht 


-223- 


of tax, shall submit their tax declaration to the 
local Finance Office by the end of 1 Teor (21 July) 
each year on the basis of their previous yoar f s 
income, paying at the same time their due tax 
from their net income at the following rate: 


Annual incomes up to Rls 48,000 shall be exempt from taxation 


R1 

48,001 

to 

R1 

100,000 

- 

12% 

on 

the 

amount 

exceeding 

48,000 

R1 

100,001 

to 

R1 

200,000 

- 

15 % 

on 

the 

amount 

exceeding 

100,000 

R1 

200,001 

to 

R1 

300,000 

- 

1B% 

on 

the 

amount 

exceeding 

200,000 

R1 

300,001 

to 

R1 

400,000 

- 

21% 

on 

the 

amount 

exceeding 

300,000 

R1 

400,001 

to 

R1 

800,000 

- 

24% 

on 

the 

amount 

exceeding 

400,000 

R1 

800,001 

to 

R1 

1200,000 

- 

30% 

on 

the 

amount 

exceeding 

800,000 

R1 

1200,001 

to 

R1 

1500,000 

- 

33% 

on 

the 

amount 

exceeding 

1200,000 

R1 

1500,001 

to 

R1 

2000,000 

- 

36% 

on 

the 

amount 

exceeding 

1500,000 

HI 

2000,001 

to 

R1 

2500,000 

- 

40% 

on 

the 

amount 

exceeding 

2000,000 

R1 

2500,001 

to 

R1 

3000,000 

- 

46% 

on 

the 

amount 

exceeding 

2500,000 

R1 

3000,001 

to 

R1 

4000,000 

- 

46% 

on 

the 

amount 

excee ding 

3000,000 

R1 

4000,001 

to 

R1 

4500,000 

- 

47% 

on 

the 

amount 

exceeding 

4000,000 

R1 

4500,001 

to 

R1 

5500,000 

- 

48% 

on 

the 

amount 

exceeding 

4500,000 

R1 

5500,001 

to 

R1 

6000,000 

- 

49 % 

on 

the 

amount 

exceeding 

5500,000 

R1 

6000,001 

and over 

- 

50% 

on 

the 

amount 

excee ding 

6000,000 



- 224 - 


CHAPTER TWENTY QNK 
GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IN MINING 

Many problems in the field of mineral production obviously 
call for collaboration and joint effort botween private industry 
and Government. The availability of governmental data encourages 
private undertakings in areas that might not otherwise be de¬ 
veloped. The Iranian Government has an important role in extend¬ 
ing help to industry by furthering long-range projects which are 
technically or financially beyond the scope of local private in¬ 
vestors, An important break-through in mineral research or the 
new discovery of valuable ora reserves by Government can lay the 
ground work for later development by private industry. It Is 
also the Government's role to look ahead, to anticipate future 
national needs, and to Plan its activities in the interest of 
greatest national welfare. 

What are the national needs? Lacking the facilities for 
smelting lead and zinc ores, certainly a national stockpiling 
program in Iran would be pointless as a defense measure. Rather 
than preparation for defense against outside attack, it would 
seem that a more pressing measure at this time Is the betterment 
of living standards for the great majority of Iran's citizens. 

A militant compaign against poverty and unemployment can best be 
waged by encouraging a v/idesoread growth In sound industrial 
enterprises throughout the country. To this end, development 
of the Nation's most abundant and rewarding natural resources 







-225- 


loricaliy holds top priority in such a campairn. Iran is 
biassed with a fair abundance of mineral resources among 
which lead and zinc ores, considered togother, doubtless rank 
3aoond to petroleum in important. The last two year.% marked 
by an uptrend in mineral prices, have shown a leap in the 
annual export of lead and zinc ores from 45,700 tons in 1341 
to 117,000 tons in 1343. Mining in Iran has suddently sprung 
Into lively action. Full recognition and sunport of the in¬ 
dustry by G0I could maintain this upswing, and lead to a sound 
and sustained growth. It could load to the strengthening of 
mineral-related industrios such as transportatIon, power develop¬ 
ment and heavy equipment proJuction. Satellite industries in 
the fields of chemical manufacture, electroplating, battery 
manufacture and building construction could bo exooctod to 
develope and conceivably initiate an industrial chain reaction. 

A start in Government extension of assistance has been made 
through the coordinated effort of the Ministry of Economy and 
the U.S, Agency for International Development. Extensive re¬ 
sources in lead and zinc have been proven; it remains for GOI 
to carry on exoanded projects in mineral exploration and research* 
One of the greatest handicaps to the minerals industry 
is the difficulty of transoortation. Access roads are seriously 
needed in remote areas. A number of very promising lead-zinc 
mines in Iran are held to a production limit of about one ton 
per day of closely sorted ore because they must rely on donkey 


- 226 - 


transportation. The Ghumbal 13 a classic example of the ex¬ 
ploitation of a potentially strong producer being retarded by 
lack of an access road. Some mineral producers are willing to 
build from their own funds standard secondary roads if the GOI 
will erect bridges across the major streams. This situation is 
applicable to the Angouran mine west of Zanjan. 

Another deterrent to mining progress in some areas is the 
absence of a known water supply with which to boneficiate mill- 
grade ores. Understandably the COI cannot go about drilling for 
water at every mineral deposit in the country. However, there 
are some large unworked deposits in arid rogions where adequate 
fresh water for milling operations, if proven, \^ould perhaps 
represent the deciding factor in favor of operation. This 
type is particularly exemplified by tho vast lead-zinc ore re¬ 
serves at Mehdiabad, but many others are without available water. 
A cooperative well-drilling projects between the Division of 
Mines and the mine operators might prove very satisfactory and 
rewarding in such cases. 

The lack of engineering guidance from tho stage of early 
exploration to that of full production is painfully evident at 
a great majority of the Iranian mines. Expert technical advise 
by the Division of Mines is a service that should be made avail¬ 
able, either free or at a nominal price, to private operators. 
These services should include development design, mine survey, 


- 227 - 


mapping, samoling, ore haulage and hoisting layout, tests in 
mineral dressing, samnle analyses, and first-aid, safety and 
mine-rnocue training. 

Many lead, zinc and copper deposits in Iran adjoin 
geologically favorable areas that warrant exploration. The 
AID-Minlstry-suoported exploration project in the past 21- 
years has indicated by core drilling at four mines an aggregate 
increase in known reserves of 35 million tons of ore with an 
average grade of 4.0 percent lead and 10.9 percent zinc. Some 
of the ores contain, as well, cadmium and silver in amounts 
sufficient to add materially to the market value of the ore. 

The estimated value of the newly-found reserves in lead and 
zinc only, if upgraded to marketable concentrate at 80 percent 
recovery, is $750 million, FOB Khorra'mshahr. The mining and 
milling of these ores ;^ill afford employment to many people in 
the years ahead, now wealth will be added, and foreign companies 
with mining "know-how” will introduce efficiency into the mining 
industry in Iran, The combined cost to AID, the Ministry of 
Economy, and the mining companies concerned, amounts to about 
$0,4 million, which includes full cost of the drilling equipment 
plus some indirect costs such as engineering services and travel. 
Thirty seven holes aggregating 6200 meters vie re drilled at the 
four mines. This type of exploration supplemented, as warranted, 
by geologic mapping and geophysical testing, is strongly re¬ 
commended as a major continuing activity of the Division of Mines. 


- 228 - 


Another long-range activity, highly important to nearly 
all branches of the GOI and to the general public including 
those in the mining industry, is the establishment of an 
official land survey. Under the new program of apportionment 
of land and with the expansion of industry and mining this 
country is subject to a vast number of boundary disputes which 
will remain unsettled until a cadastrial survey covering all of 
Iran has been comoleted. The authorization and budgeting of 
such a project should be given early consideration by the GOI. 

The encouragement of oarticioation in Iranian mining by 
foreign investors is an imoortant phase of Government’s role in 
sound development of the industry. The Division of Mines can 
be helpful in extending preliminary guidance to renresentatives 
of foreign mining firms, particulary with respect to investment 
opportunities, protective laws and decrees, mining and labor laws 
and customs regulations. One of the greatest deterrents to the 
investment of foreign capital in Iran is the law limiting to less 
than 50 percent foreign ownership of a business, thus depriving 
the foreign investor of operating control. Hardly any reliable 
foreign firm Is willing to enter into a business agreement on 
such a basis, unless the Iranian partner is a firm with an in¬ 
ternationally recognized refutation for business efficiency and 
integrity. Any Iranian legislators who are sincerely interest¬ 
ed in attracting foreign investments here would do well to initiate 
a move for the repeal, revision, or Insertion of ameliorating 


-229- 


amendments, to this measure. 

Mine safety Inspectors In the Ministry of Economy should 
be thoroughly trained in safety practices and fully experloneed 
in practical mining. Mine inspectors should have the support 
of a mine safety code and the authority to enforce it. 

The Government’s role in Mining Affairs is divided between 
three organizations, each operating essentially independent of 
the other, and headquartered in different parts of Tehran. First, 
there is the Minos Administration organization concerned with 
the issuance of prospecting and exploitation licenses, the 
collection of mine fees, mine inspections, and occasional ex¬ 
ploration activities, A second organization is the Geology 
section engaged in geologic map preparation, laboratory testing, 
and water and mineral investigations. The third organization 
is the Iran Mining and Metallurgical Cooperation engaged in the 
exploitation of Government-owned mines. These throe organiza¬ 
tions function independently of each other, each guided by its 
own isolated interests. Under the existing order, or disorder. 
Mining Affairs lack harmony in programming, promptness in action, 
and collaboration of effort. Without singleness of purpose and 
centralized supervision there can be no incentive on the part of 
Mining personnel to build up a truly aggressive, competent and 
beneficial service to the mining public. In the many reshuffles 
in Government organization Mining Affairs has been moved closer 
and closer to the "bottom of the stack" receiving less and less 
financial and professional support. Instead, an industry showing 


-P30- 


strong growth tendencies, as mining does at this time, deserves 
every possible assistance from Government in order that it be 
fully launched into an industry of sustained progression. In 
order to receive this, Mining in the Ministry of Economy, or 
preferably in a Ministry of Industry and Mines, as formerly, 
should be given equal status x«jith all other industries combined 
(excluding Petroleum Industry), and should be placed under the 
directorship of a competent, experienced, and energetic mining 
engineer who will vigorously guide the activities of his 
Division in effectively serving the mining industry. All Mining 
Affairs of the Government should be subject to his direction, and 
he should be alloxved a wide lattitude of freedom in the organiza¬ 
tion of his Division. Moreover, by reason of the technical nature 
of the services of the Office of Mining Affairs, that Division, 
once launched upon a serviceable program, should be spared the 
unsettling effects of political interference. 

Most of the present functions would have to be perpetuated; 
however, a few, such as Government mine operation, might hope¬ 
fully be gradually eliminated. Since the Government-operated 
mines, due to excessive overhead cost, are mostly operating at 
a loss and becoming always more burdensome to the Government, the 
logical procedure, whenever the opportunity arises, would be to 
dispose of them to private operators. Government funds now re¬ 
quired to make up the deficit incurred by Government mine operation 
would accrue far greater benefit to the public if used to finance 



£31- 


mlperal exploration projects. Private exploitation would bring 
a multifold return of the funds to the Government in the form 
of taxes. 

Subsurface exploration and simple surface prospecting are 
resulting in ever-increasing proof that Iran is endowed, perhaps 
beyond the average of similar areas, with a wealth of com¬ 
mercially imoortant minerals, by no means the least of which 
are those of lead and zinc. Supported by Government technical 
guidance along with leadership in the long-range projects 
Iran may expect to attain and maintain an important position 
among the World's foremost mineral producers. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY 


1# Bank Markazi Iran, Law, Regulations and Decree concerning 
the Attraction and Protection of Foreign Investments in 

Iran, p. 1-14. 

2. Bank Markazi Iran, Tax and Customs Regulations and Concessions 
t6 Investors, p. 45-46 

3, Bateman, Alan M., 1950 Economic Mineral Deposits, p. 107-170 

4, Blackett, George H., 1964, Cuotas Incompatible with Current 
Zinc Shortage, Engineering and Mining Journal September 1964, 
p. 96. 

5. Callaway, HM#, 1962 Load: A materials survey, U.S. Bureau of 
Mines Information Circular 8083, p. 6-25, 95r98. 

6. 3aru3, H.D. 1959, zinc: Historical Background, American 
Chemical Society, p. 1-3. 

7. Hallof, Philip G,, 1963, A study of +"he Usefulness of the 
Various Parameters Ebiployod in the Variablo Frequency I.P. 
Method, p. 6-7. 

8, Khadera N*, 1964, Summary of Base Metal Resources in Iran: 

CENTO Symposium on Mining Geology and the Base Metals, p 71-88, 

9, McPhar Geophysics Limited, Variable Frequency Induced 
Polorization Equipment. 

10. Merrill, Charles W., McCable, Louis C., and Cat tell, R.A, 

1956, Mineral Facts and Problems Introduction p. 1-3 

11. Ministry of Economy, Mining Laws of Iran p. 1-12 

12. Parks, Roland D., 1949, Examination and Valuation of Mineral 
Property, p. 194-195, 359-363, 



13. Schillinger, Alvin W., 1964, Calumet Successfully Uses I.P. 

Probe Underground to Boost Ore Discoveries, Mining Engineering, 
Nov. 1964 p. 83. 


14. Shevyokov, L., Mining of Mineral Deposits, p. 492-511. 

15. Young, George J., 1946, Elements of Mining, p. 549 































































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